December 4, 2000

OTTAWA-HULL — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) issued orders today designed to ensure that more Canadians living in the territories of certain independent telephone companies in Ontario have access to the same level of telephone service now enjoyed by most Canadians.

These orders also establish the financial conditions for competitors to enter the independents’ territories by lowering the amount competitors must pay the independents to provide long distance service in these markets.

In its decision Telephone Service to High-Cost Serving Areas (Telecom Decision CRTC 99-16), the Commission required all independent telephone companies to submit service improvement plans (SIPs), where required, by March 1^st, 2000. The SIPs had to show how the telephone companies would extend and upgrade service in their territories to meet the basic service objective set out in Telecom Decision CRTC 99-16:

• Single line touch-tone service with local access to the Internet;
• Enhanced calling features, including 911, voice message relay service for those with hearing difficulties, and features that protect privacy;
• Access to operator and directory assistance services;
• Access to long distance; and
• A copy of the current local telephone directory.

Today, the CRTC has made public its determination with regards to the SIPs filed by Amtelecom Inc., Cochrane Public Utilities Commission, North Frontenac Telephone Company Limited, Northern Telephone Limited, and O.N. Telcom. These service improvement plans will improve telephone service and ensure that more Canadians have access to the knowledge-based economy of the future. Details are set out in the information sheets for each individual telephone company.

The Commission also established the financial conditions for alternate providers of long distance to enter the independent telephone companies’ territories by lowering the amount competitors must pay the independents to provide long distance service in these markets.

The Commission considers that telephone subscribers in the territories served by the independents will likely enjoy the choices enjoyed by subscribers of the major telephone companies in Canada. This, however, means bringing local rates closer to costs to reduce the independents’ reliance on contribution subsidies.

The independent telephone companies whose local subscriber rates will be affected are: Hurontario Telephone Limited, Nexicom Telecommunications Inc., Nexicom Telephones Inc., North Renfrew Telephone Company Limited, People’s Telephone Co. of Forest Inc., South Bruce Rural Telephone Company, Westport Telephone Company Limited, and Wightman Telephone Limited.

Further details are set out in the information sheet entitled Why increase local rates for customers of certain independent telephone companies in Ontario?.

Reference documents: Orders CRTC 2000-1088, 1089, 1090, 1091, 1092, 1093, 1094, 1095,1096, 1097, 1098, 1099 and 1100
Information: Amtelecom Inc. - approved service improvement plan,     Cochrane Public Utilities Commission - approved service improvement    plan, North Frontenac Telephone Company Limited - approved service     improvement plan, Northern Telephone Limited - approved service improvement plan, O.N. Telcom - approved service improvement plan, Why increase local rates for customers of certain independent telephone   companies in Ontario?

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Copies of today’s documents are available through our Internet site ( http://www.crtc.gc.ca ) or by contacting the public examination room of any CRTC office. These documents are available in alternative format upon request.