OTTAWA — The CRTC has initiated a show cause proceeding as the result of six telecommunications service providers (TSPs) failing to become participants in the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services Inc. (CCTS) and ignoring letters and requests for information sent by CRTC staff in the last year.
In its Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-363, the CRTC said the six telecom resellers who have not become CCTS participants are WISP Internet Services Inc., Golden Rural High Speed, Pure Channel Communications Inc., MySignal.ca Solutions Inc., Redbox Solutions Ltd., and Total Cable Service Inc. The Commission said it is launching the show cause proceeding to determine whether the six TSPs have committed violations of the Telecommunications Act and, if so, to determine the appropriate enforcement measures, such as an administrative monetary penalty (AMP).
Specifically, the CRTC proceeding requires each of the TSPs to show cause why it should not be found in violation of the Act for contravening the CCTS participation requirement, and the directors of each TSP to show cause why they should not be considered liable for any violation by the company that they direct.
“Given the value of the CCTS to consumers, the importance of TSPs’ participation in the CCTS, and the necessity that consumers receive the recourse to which they are entitled, an AMP may be an appropriate enforcement measure if violations of the Act are found in this case,” the CRTC wrote.
As such, in the case of any TSP found to have committed a violation, the CRTC’s show cause proceeding requires:
- the TSP to show cause why an AMP in the amount of $50,000 should not be imposed against it;
- the director(s) of the TSP to show cause why an AMP in the amount of $15,000 should not be imposed against them; and,
- the TSP and the director(s) to show cause why a mandatory order requiring the TSP and its director(s) to take the necessary steps for the TSP to become a participant in the CCTS should not be issued.
“In the event that TSP violations of the CCTS participation requirement are found, the Commission intends to pursue compliance with the CCTS participation requirement by the available means, including registering any AMP-related debts and Mandatory Orders in the Federal Court and initiating proceedings to enforce them. Should other measures prove ineffective, the Commission may take steps to disconnect the telecommunications services of non-compliant resellers of telecommunications services,” the CRTC wrote.
The six telecom resellers have until December 16, 2019 to file their submissions and required information with the Commission. Furthermore, interested parties who want to file interventions on these matters must also do so by the December 16, 2019 deadline. Finally, all parties will have the opportunity to file replies to any interventions with the Commission, but must do so by January 20, 2020. The Rules of Procedure and methods of filing submissions are outlined on the CRTC’s telecom notice of consultation webpage here.
