|
Telecom Order CRTC 2005-143
|
|
Ottawa, 15 April 2005 |
|
Northwestel Inc.
|
|
Reference: Tariff Notice 817 |
|
Occupancy Rates for Radio Sites
|
1. |
The Commission received an application by
Northwestel Inc. (Northwestel), dated 7 January 2005, to revise Special
Services Tariff CRTC 3010, item 702 – Occupancy Rates for Radio Sites.
Northwestel applied to revise the minimum monthly alternating current
(AC) power charge per site from a flat-rate fee of $10.90 to a fee of
$0.33 per watt, with a minimum monthly charge of $198.00 for 600 watts
of AC power. Northwestel submitted that it was not feasible to provision
an AC circuit at less than 600 watts, and that the proposed minimum
would align the company's tariff more closely with how AC power was
actually provisioned. In addition, Northwestel stated that there would
be no significant revenue or customer impact from this change. |
2. |
The Commission received comments from the
Yukon Government (YG), dated 20 January and 14 February 2005, and reply
comments from Northwestel, dated 2 February and 2 March 2005. |
3. |
The YG submitted that the proposed minimum
AC charge per site would increase the minimum monthly charge from $10.90
to $198.00. In reply, Northwestel argued that none of its customers
would be negatively impacted. Further, Northwestel indicated that,
according to its billing records, the YG was not currently billed the
minimum power usage fee at any microwave site, and the proposed tariff
would have no impact on the YG's current power usage charges. |
4. |
The YG also requested that Northwestel
explain why it was not feasible to provision an AC circuit at less than
600 watts. Northwestel responded that: |
|
- the smallest economical circuit breaker available for the Canadian
Standards Association (CSA) electrical panels was 15 amperes (or 1,800
watts). Northwestel indicated that to build a CSA-approved breaker at
a lower amperage would be cost-prohibitive. The company also indicated
that provisioning a lower amperage circuit would result in Northwestel
incurring more expenses and trouble tickets with the non-standard
circuits;
|
|
- to monitor the daily consumption level of each circuit under 1,800
watts would require installing a $1,500+ meter on every circuit which
would make providing AC circuits cost-prohibitive and increase expense
and maintenance costs to monitor and repair the meters; and
|
|
- it was not asking that the minimum AC circuit be raised to 1,800
watts, which was the minimum the company could actually provide.
Northwestel noted that some customers do not need a full 1,800 watt
circuit, so it proposed a compromise minimum charge of five amperes,
or 600 watts, which was based on the minimum requirement actually
requested or used by its current customers.
|
5. |
The company acknowledged the YG's concern
that there be options for customers who want to use equipment at tower
sites who have requirements as low as 100 watts, such as for low power
antennas. Northwestel noted that this type of equipment could be
provisioned using direct current (DC) power, and that Northwestel was
capable of accommodating these DC power requests under its tariff. |
6. |
The Commission finds Northwestel's response
to the concerns of the YG to be reasonable. Accordingly, the Commission
approves Northwestel's application, effective the date of
this Order. |
|
Secretary General |
|
This document is available in alternative
format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF
format or in HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
|