CRTC Telecommunications Industry Data Collection
Frequently asked Questions 2004
General Matters – 2004
FAQ Index
- Who should respond to the 2004 Data Collection
- Do I have to fill out all of the forms?
- Do ISPs have to participate, too?
- We acquired or disposed of telecom assets in 2003. Are we
responsible for filing their responses?
- Local, short-haul, or long-haul?
- I usually consolidate my company's financial statements with our subsidiary's financial statements. Can I do that here, too?
- Why has the data collection process changed from Microsoft
Excel spreadsheets to an Internet web site?
- How can I be assured that my confidential information is safe?
- I won't be able to meet the deadline dates provided for filing the Reporting Entity Profile Forms or for filing the Sector Data Forms. What should I do?
Guidelines
Who should respond to the 2004 Data Collection?
All telecommunications entities must respond to the 2004 data
collection process. . In 2004, the data collection activities
will now be used to support the Commission's activities that
relate to maintaining and updating telecommunications entity
registration list, international licences, telecommunications
fees and the contribution regime. For additional details refer
to Telecom Circular 2003-1.If you have not responded, contact
us by sending an e-mail (telinfo@crtc.gc.ca)
or letter to the address on the contact page.
Do I have to fill out all of the forms?
No, depending on the information provided in the REP forms that you submit, the appropriate data forms to be completed will be indicated to you by the CRTC, based on; 1) the telecommunication sectors that you operate in, 2) the type of facilities that you operate, and 3) your level of telecommunications revenues in 2003.
Do ISPs have to participate, too?
Yes. The CRTC has forborne from regulating most aspects of the Internet. It is important that the CRTC measure competition in the Internet market. This measurement is an important part of ensuring that the CRTC fulfils its responsibilities.
We acquired or disposed of telecom assets in 2003. Are we responsible for filing responses?
The Legal entity in existence at 31 December 2003 that
acquired the assets is responsible for submitting all of its
2003 information pertaining to the assets.
In addition, if a company was merged with you in 2003 ,
you are responsible to report the telecommunications operations
of the combined companies.
Local, short-haul, or long-haul?
Local network segments are those that connect between a service provider's point of presence, at one end of the network segment, and the customer premise, on the other.
Short-haul segments are considered backbone segments, because they connect between service provider points of presence at either end. They remain intra-city -- both ends are in the same municipality, adjacent municipalities, or the same metropolitan area.
Long-haul network segments are also backbone segments; they, too, connect between service provider points of presence. The difference, however, is that they are inter-city segments. The two ends are in different, non-adjacent municipalities.
I usually consolidate my company's financial statements with our subsidiary's financial statements. Can I do that here, too?
No. We need surveys returned for each legal entity. If this causes you a problem, please contact us before beginning to fill out your required forms
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Form Completion Why has the data collection process changed from Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to an Internet web site?
The CRTC data collection process made use of Excel spreadsheets in its first three years, commencing in 2001 and continuing until 2003. In 2004, the data collection activities will now be used to support the Commission ' s activities that relate to maintaining and updating telecommunications entity registration list, international licences, telecommunications fees and the contribution regime. For additional details refer to Telecom Circular 2003-1. To help facilitate this, the data collection process has been transitioned to an Internet web site where a set of on-line forms are used to collect data. In addition, there are several other reasons why the CRTC has made this switch.
Support the Government On-Line (GOL) initiative -- The Government of Canada has a plan to to provide information and services on the Internet by 2005. The goal of the Government On-Line initiative is to use information and communication technology to provide Canadians with enhanced access to improved citizen-centred, integrated services, anytime, anywhere and in the official language of their choice. Information about the GOL is available at http://www.gol-ged.gc.ca/.
Improve the quality of data collected from telecommunication reporting entities -- While the spreadsheets provided a high degree of convenience and flexibility to the reporting entities, the approach presented several challenges in terms of data quality and user feedback. By employing interactive, on-line forms the overall quality of the data collection will be improved by providing immediate feedback of edit checks and audit warnings.
Ensure confidentiality of information -- The web-based data collection system significantly raises the level of security for confidential information by employing 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for all data transmission over the Internet. This is the same technology employed by banks and on-line e-commerce sites.
How can I be assured that my confidential information is safe?
By going to a web based system, the CRTC data collection process meets the Government of Canada standards for confidentiality. This is ensured through: 1) password protected web site, 2) careful dissemination of user IDs and passwords, and 3) transport of data over Internet via 128-bit SSL encryption.
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Deadlines
I won't be able to meet the deadline dates provided for filing the Reporting Entity Profile Forms or for filing the various Data Forms. What should I do?
Let us know as soon as possible. Please contact us by e-mail at telinfo@crtc.gc.ca or by phone at (819) 997-4597.
Date Modified: 2004-02-06 |
