Vidéotron is accusing Bell, and different telecom firms, of overcharging for 9-1-1 providers.
In an utility filed with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Fee (CRTC), Vidéotron says the corporate is billing Canadians for next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) providers, regardless of the system not being applied but.
“Bell has failed to satisfy its regulatory obligations as an NG-9-1-1 service supplier, particularly, to implement an NG-9-1-1 system that’s dependable, resilient, safe, whereas sustaining prices to a minimal, in accordance with the regulatory framework for NG-9-1-1 providers,” Vidéotron mentioned in a reply dated February tenth, 2023.
Bell, Sasktel, and Telus are tasked with sustaining the present 9-1-1 system and constructing NG-9-1-1. As soon as applied, it would permit callers to share info with emergency providers in varied methods, reminiscent of textual content and pictures. Telecom suppliers, together with Vidéotron, should pay to entry such emergency providers on their networks.
The saga began when Bell filed an utility in November 2022, arguing Vidéotron wasn’t paying charges to entry the 9-1-1 frameworks. Vidéotron’s response acknowledged suppliers ought to cost 9-1-1 charges based mostly on utilization and refund charges collected for NG9-1-1 providers till “the migration of emergency calls to the NG9-1-1 system has begun.” The Fee mixed the 2 purposes into one matter in December 2022.
“Maintaining two 9-1-1 networks doesn’t must stretch. The one cause 9-1-1 Service Suppliers argue in any other case is to proceed to be overcompensated by receiving full fee for 2 9-1-1 prices concurrently,” Vidéotron mentioned in its February tenth reply.
The corporate mentioned its prices for the providers would solely double beneath its plans to amass Freedom Mobile from Shaw.
Bell’s response
In its personal reply, Bell argues in opposition to Vidéotron’s accusations. The corporate says it, together with SaskTel and Telus, launched NG-9-1-1 providers “inside their territories.” Nevertheless, because the Toronto Star notes, Canadians can solely make voice calls, similar to the legacy 9-1-1 system.
On double prices, Bell says it’s solely following the CRTC’s guidelines.
Philippe Gauvin, a lawyer with Bell, informed the Star the CRTC established fee guidelines in 2017, outlining suppliers must pay for each providers.
“If a provider solely pays one payment, which is mainly what Vidéotron is arguing for, they’d be under-compensating for the regime,” Gauvin informed the publication.
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