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Public Notice CRTC 2001-126
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Ottawa, 19 December 2001
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Trunking arrangements for the interchange of traffic and the
point of interconnection between local exchange carriers
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Reference: 8643-C25-01/99,
8643-C12-07/01 and Bell Canada Tariff
Notice 6597 |
1. |
On 7 and 8 June 2000, Commission staff convened a workshop to
solicit industry views regarding interconnection issues that needed
to be addressed in order to facilitate competition. Subsequent to
the meeting, participants submitted written comments regarding the
issues, which in their view, needed to be addressed. |
2. |
The Commission staff's report on the workshop proceeding was
issued on 7 December 2000. The report outlined the main issues to be
addressed by the newly formed CRTC Interconnection Steering Committe
Network of Networks Ad Hoc Working Group (NNAWG). The issues are: |
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a) trunk interconnection for local exchange carriers (LECs);
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b) point of interconnection (POI) for LECs; and
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c) POI for common channel signalling 7 (CCS7).
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3. |
The existing rules regarding trunking arrangements and POI are
defined in Telecom Decision CRTC 97-8, Local competition,
dated 1 May 1997, supplemented by determinations in Telecom Order
CRTC 98-486, Transiting and points of interconnection, dated
19 May 1998. Since issuance of these decisions, the Commission has
mandated changes in the contribution mechanism and in the rate for
direct connection for interexchange carriers. |
4. |
Many of the NNAWG participants expressed the view that it would
be advantageous to deliver on the bill-and-keep trunk group all the
traffic to be terminated in the geographic area served from a POI.
However, the group was unable to come to a consensus on appropriate
changes to the existing rules for the trunking arrangements for the
exchange of various types of traffic between LECs. |
5. |
In addition, there was no agreement regarding changes to the
rules for the provision of POIs. However, incumbent carriers offered
to propose a tariff for a multi-gateway POI service that would allow
competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) to interconnect with a
number of incumbent exchanges through one POI. The work of the NNAWG
was summarized in a report issued on 30 April 2001. |
6. |
On 29 June 2001, Bell Canada filed an application under Tariff
Notice 6597, proposing to introduce the multi-gateway POI service
for CLECs that it had presented to the NNAWG. Microcell
Telecommunications Inc. and Norigen Communications Inc. both
submitted that insufficient data had been provided in the filing to
allow them to comment. Both parties requested that a process be set
out with Bell Canada directed to file a formal cost study, followed
by an opportunity for parties to submit interrogatories. |
7. |
The Commission is of the view that the rules for trunking and
POIs should be reviewed to see if more efficient and effective
arrangements can be found to:
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a) provide for more equitable distribution of the costs;
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b) lower overall costs for interconnection; and
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c) further the co-carrier relationship between CLECs and
incumbent local exchange carriers espoused in Decision 97-8.
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8. |
Therefore, the Commission is initiating this process in
order to solicit suggestions and discussion regarding possible
changes to the existing rules.
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9. |
The record associated with Bell Canada Tariff Notice 6597
is made
part of this proceeding. The Commission expects to dispose of Tariff
Notice 6597 in this proceeding.
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10. |
Participants are requested to address the following issues in
their submissions: |
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a) Current interconnection rules require separate trunk groups
be used for a variety of types of traffic:
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i) provide your views regarding the desirability and
feasibility of combining on one trunk group all the types of
originating and terminating traffic that are exchanged by LECs
in the area served by a POI.
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ii) provide your views regarding alternative trunking
arrangements that would permit reducing the number of trunk
groups required.
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b) In lieu of requiring one POI per exchange, it may be
desirable to establish rules that would require fewer POIs.
Provide alternatives (including supporting rationale) that could
be considered.
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c) For each POI alternative proposed, participants should
address the question of:
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i) whether all traffic should be exchanged on a bill-and-keep
basis or should some other compensation scheme be used; and
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ii) transition mechanisms to any new POI arrangement for
companies that have already established POIs.
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d) Participants are also invited to comment on any other issue
pertaining to interconnection that, in their view, could improve
on the current interconnection regime.
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Procedure
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11. |
All LECs are made parties to this proceeding. |
12. |
Other persons wishing to participate fully in this proceeding
must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by 10
January 2002. They should contact the Secretary General by mail
at CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, by fax at (819) 953-0795 or
by email at procedure@crtc.gc.ca.
They are to indicate in the notice their email address where
available. If parties do not have access to the Internet, they are
to indicate in their notice whether they wish to receive disk
versions of hard copy filings. The Commission will issue a complete
list of parties and their mailing addresses (including email
addresses, if available), identifying those parties who wish to
receive disk versions.
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13. |
Parties may file their submissions with the Commission, serving a
copy on all other parties, by 21 January 2002. |
14. |
Any participant who wishes merely to file written comments,
without receiving copies of the various submissions, may do so by
writing to the Commission at the address noted in paragraph 12, by 21
January 2002. |
15. |
Parties may address interrogatories to parties that made
submissions filing a copy with the Commission, by 4 February 2002. |
16. |
Responses to those interrogatories are to be filed with the
Commission and served on all parties, by 14 February 2002. |
17. |
Requests by parties for further responses to their
interrogatories, specifying in each case why a further response is
both relevant and necessary, and requests for public disclosure of
information for which confidentiality has been claimed, setting out
in each case the reasons for disclosure, must be filed with the
Commission and served on the relevant parties, by 18 February
2002.
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18. |
The parties to whom requests are made pursuant to paragraph 17
above may file written responses to requests for further responses
to interrogatories and requests for public disclosure, serving
copies on all parties requesting further responses to
interrogatories and public disclosure, by 22 February 2002.
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19. |
The requests for further information and for public disclosure
will be disposed of as soon as possible. Any information to be
provided must be filed with the Commission and served on all
parties, by 7 March 2002. |
20. |
Parties may file comments on the submissions, serving a copy on
all other parties, by 18 March 2002. |
21. |
Parties may file reply comments with the Commission, serving a
copy on all other participants, by 27 March 2002. |
22. |
Submissions longer than five pages should include a summary.
Parties wishing to file electronic versions of their comments can do
so by email at the address shown above, or on diskette. |
23. |
Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the
document must be actually received, not merely sent, by that date.
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24. |
The electronic version should be in the HTML format. As an
alternative, those making submissions may use "Microsoft
Word" for text and "Microsoft Excel" for
spreadsheets. |
25. |
Please number each paragraph of your submission. In addition,
please enter the line ***End of document*** following the last
paragraph. This will help the Commission to verify that the document
has not been damaged during transmission. |
26. |
The Commission will make submissions filed in electronic form
available on its web site at www.crtc.gc.ca in the official language
and format in which they are submitted. This will make it easier for
members of the public to consult the documents. |
27. |
The Commission also encourages interested parties to monitor the
record of this proceeding (and/or the Commission's web site) for
additional information that they may find useful when preparing
their submissions. |
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Location of CRTC offices
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28. |
Submissions may be examined or will be made available promptly
upon request at the Commission offices during normal business hours: |
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Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room G-5
Hull, Quebec K1A 0N2
Tel: (819) 997-2429 - TDD: 994-0423
Fax: (819) 994-0218 |
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Bank of Commerce Building
1809 Barrington Street
Suite 1007
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K8
Tel: (902) 426-7997 - TDD: 426-6997
Fax: (902) 426-2721 |
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405 de Maisonneuve Blvd. East
2nd Floor, Suite B2300
Montréal, Quebec H2L 4J5
Tel: (514) 283-6607 - TDD: 283-8316
Fax: (514) 283-3689 |
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55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M2
Tel: (416) 952-9096
Fax: (416) 954-6343 |
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Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel: (204) 983-6306 - TDD: 983-8274
Fax: (204) 983-6317 |
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Cornwall Professional Building
2125 - 11th Avenue
Room 103
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3X3
Tel: (306) 780-3422
Fax: (306) 780-3319 |
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Suite 520 - 10405 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Tel: (780) 495-3224
Fax: (780) 495-3214 |
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530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel: (604) 666-2111 - TDD: 666-0778
Fax: (604) 666-8322 |
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Secretary General
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This document is available in alternative format upon request and
may also be examined at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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