NEWS RELEASE:

Improved telephone service and consumer choice in long distance, says CRTC

INFORMATION:

Why increase local rates for customers of certain independent telephone companies in Ontario?

Northern Telephone Limited - approved service improvement plan

Amtelecom Inc. - approved service improvement plan

Cochrane Public Utilities Commission - approved service improvement plan

North Frontenac Telephone Company Limited - approved service improvement plan

O.N. Telcom - approved service improvement plan

NOTICES:

2000-160 The Commission has received applications from Vidéotron Ltée, Montreal, Quebec; CF Cable TV Inc., Montreal, Quebec; and TDM Newco inc., Terrebonne, Mascouhe, etc., Quebec, to be relieved, by condition of licence, of the requirement of section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations to distribute CIME-FM Saint-Jérôme, an audio priority signal. Deadline for intervention:  9 January 2001.

2000-161 Radio Communautaire MF Lac Simon Inc., Lac Simon (Louvicourt), Québec. Decrease of the effective radiated power for CHUT-FM Lac-Simon from 102 to 97.9 watts. Wired World Inc., Kitchener, Ontario. To amend the broadcasting licence for the Type B community radio programming undertaking, CKWR-FM. Northern Native Broadcasting, Yukon, Good Hope Lake, British Columbia. To add an FM transmitter to offer the programming of CHON-FM at Good Hope Lake. Northern Native Broadcasting, Yukon, Aklavik, Yukon Territory. To add an FM transmitter to offer the programming of CHON-FM at Aklavik. Deadline for intervention:  9 January 2001.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:

2000-11-1 Further to its Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2000-11 dated 24 November 2000 relating to the Public Hearing which will be held on 30 January 2001, at 9:00 a.m., at the Commission Headquarters, 1 Promenade du Portage, Hull, Quebec, the Commission announces that item 9, issue no. 1, is amended. Deadline for intervention:  10 January 2001.

ORDERS:

2000-1081 The Commission approves on a final basis Bell Canada's application dated 19 May 2000, amended on 23 June 2000, for a calling features promotion. Reference:  TNs 6480/A.

2000-1082 The Commission approves on a final basis MTT's application dated 19 June 2000 to de-standardize the Connecting Companies Tariff. Reference:  TN 784.

2000-1083 The Commission approves on a final basis NewTel's application to offer residential customers three levels of service that include local service, long distance calling, enhanced network features and internet access. Reference:  TN 635.

2000-1084 The Commission approves on a final basis Northwestel's application dated 8 June 2000 to revise the DS-1 base charge for a rate band mileage distance of 201-500 which was inadvertently recorded as $7,320. The rate should read $7,920. Reference:  Northwestel TN 732.

2000-1085 The Commission approves a message relay service agreement between QuébecTel Alizé Inc. and Québec-Téléphone. Reference:  8340-Q6-0704/00.

2000-1086 The Commission approves on a final basis TCBC's application dated 6 July 2000 to introduce the local business contract option renewal signing bonus promotion from 8 August 2000 to 8 February 2001. Reference:  TN 4088.

2000-1087 The Commission approves a Master Agreement for Interconnection between local exchange carriers for Vidéotron Télécom (1998) ltée and TELUS Integrated Communications, a division of TELUS Mobility Cellular Inc. Reference:  8340-T50-0705/00.

2000-1088 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential and business services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  Hurontario TN 25.

2000-1089 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential and business services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  Nexicom Telecommunications TN 22.

2000-1090 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential and business services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  Nexicom Telephones TN 20.

2000-1091 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  North Renfrew TN 17.

2000-1092 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential and business services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  People's TN 38.

2000-1093 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential and business services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  South Bruce TNs 17/A.

2000-1094 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  Westport TN 18.

2000-1095 The Commission approves rate increases to local residential and business services effective 1 January 2001 in order to bring local rates closer to costs and reduce the independents' reliance on subsidies from long distance service providers. Reference:  Wightman TNs 14/A.

2000-1096 The Commission approves Northern's service improvement plan (SIP) to provide basic service to the unserved and underserved customers in its territory. To fund the company's SIP, the Commission also approves a rate increase of $3.50 to Northern's residential and business individual line rates, effective 1 January 2001. Northern's rate rebalancing proposal is denied. Reference:  TN 126.

2000-1097 The Commission approves Amtelecom's service improvement plan (SIP) to provide basic service to the unserved and underserved customers in its territory. To fund the company's SIP, the Commission also approvesa rate increase of $5.25, effective 1 January 2001, to Amtelecom's residential and business individual line rates, with the exception of those residential rates currently at $26.75 in the Manitoulin exchange, Amtelecom's request for expanded local free calling areas is denied. Reference:  TN 41.

2000-1098 The Commission approves a financial limit of $15,000, including a customer contribution charge of $1,000, for the provision of basic service to unserved customers in Cochrane's territory, effective 1 January 2001. Reference:  TN 27.

2000-1099 The Commission approves North Frontenac's service improvement plan (SIP) to provide basic service to the unserved and underserved customers in its territory. To fund the company's SIP, the Commission also approves a rate increase of $3.90 to North Frontenac's business and residential individual line rates, effective 1 January 2001. Reference:  TN 17.

2000-1100 The Commission approves O.N.Telcom's service improvement plan (SIP) to provide basic service to the unserved and underserved customers in its territory. To fund the company's SIP, the Commission also approves, on an interim basis, a rate increase of $0.30 to O.N.Telcom's business and residential individual line rates, effective 1 January 2001. Reference:  8665-C12-08/00.

2000-1101 Extended toll-free calling area. Reference:  Brooke TN 9.