OTTAWA – The CRTC has signalled it is prepared to consider fundamental change in the way it handles telephone tariff applications.
It gave notice Friday that it wants to hear comments on the “continued appropriateness of the processes for retail and competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) tariff filings”.
Following up on the federal government’s directive for more reliance on market forces, and in light of its subsequent action plan, the CRTC says it is ready to hear different proposals for tariff approval mechanisms that are as minimally intrusive and as minimally onerous as possible.
“In this proceeding, the Commission is prepared to consider proposals that would permit tariffs to become effective without prior Commission approval or with deemed Commission approval,” it said.
The Commissions wants intervenors to respond to certain questions, such as: “Can the purpose underlying the current tariff approval mechanism be achieved through the reliance on market forces or is the current tariff approval mechanism still necessary?”
And: “Can market forces be relied on to achieve the policy objectives? Why or why not?”
Interested parties should register by March 20th; the deadline for submission of comments is April 4th.
