CRTC issues interim resolution in Iristel, Telus fight

The CRTC ordered Friday both Telus Corp. and Iristel Inc. to make interim changes to practises the regulator said harms customers in a long-standing fight involving alleged artificial traffic stimulation and call blocking. Both companies are accusing each other of unsavory practices: Telus, as Rogers Communications Inc. has before, is claiming Iristel is artificially stimulating traffic to its 867 numbers in the North for revenue by having radio station (call-to-listen) calls go to those numbers. Iristel is accusing Telus of choking their traffic to those 867 numbers, resulting in customers of both companies not being able to talk to each other. Back in August, Telus requested a public proceeding to review the alleged stimulation activities and order Iristel to set a new rate for long distance call termination. Iristel, complaining that Telus has been handicapping its network to Iristel subscribers since May, followed-up with an application asking the regulator to restore their network capacity. Last month, Iristel filed a $135-million lawsuit against Telus for allegedly withholding payments. On Friday, the CRTC said there’s evidence on the record of those practices by both sides: network capacity being limited and call-to-listen services still going to 867 numbers. While it said it has yet to determine if traffic is being stimulated or if Iristel’s rates for call termination is “just and reasonable,” the regulator said the issue of call incompletion has to be dealt with quickly as it harms customers. “The Commission considers that the reduced capacity is not reasonable nor in the public interest,” it said. “The Commission also notes that, should it find that Iristel’s current regulated tariffed rate for long distance call termination in the North needs to be amended, making it interim at this point would allow for compensation related to the charging of that rate to be addressed in the Commission’s final rate determination.” Telus has 10 days from the date of the decision to ensure that calls between the two providers are completed and, in the same timeframe, to submit a report about how it is complying with the directive. It also approved Telus’ request to set an interim rate for calls to Iristel’s operating territory.

CRTC issues interim resolution in Iristel, Telus fight

Brief | November 23, 2018

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CRTC issues interim resolution in Iristel, Telus fight

Brief | November 23, 2018

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