CRTC approves Telus NG911 Local Government Service Agreement

The CRTC has approved Telus Corp.’s revisions to next-generation 911 (NG911) Local Government Service Agreement template. In June 2017 the commission mandated incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and small incumbent local exchange carriers (SILECs) to provide end-user access to NG911 networks in their operating territories; provide wholesale access to these networks wherever local and senior governments have established public safety answering points (PSAPs); and to connect their NG911 networks to the primary and secondary PSAPs in their operating territories. In 2021 it directed NG911 network providers to establish their NG911 networks, complete all NG911 production onboarding activities; and be ready to provide NG911 voice wherever PSAPs have been established by March 2022. They were given until Nov. 2021 to file proposed wholesale and retail NG911 tariffs. In November 2021, Telus filed its tariffs along with a Local Government Service Agreement for use in agreements between the incumbent as an NG911 network provider and the local government authorities (LGAs) responsible for the provision of emergency services in jurisdictions within Alberta or British Columbia. The agreement template sets out Telus’ and the LGA’s obligations in the provision of NG911 services within the relevant serving territory and to reduce the administrative and regulatory burden of developing unique agreements between the parties involved in the provision of NG911 services. “In its initial application, Telus explained that an agreement template approved by the commission would accelerate the process of onboarding LGAs and PSAPs onto Telus’ NG911 network,” the commission wrote. The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (RDFFG) told the commission that Telus’ template should distinguish between the role of the LGA and the technical functions of a PSAP. “LGAs may take on the technical operation of a PSAP, but in many cases they contract services out to an external PSAP that is then responsible for the technology and processes required to deliver NG911 services,” according to the commission's documents. “For this reason, the RDFFG proposed the addition and modification of wording in the NG911 LGA agreement template to clarify that technical requirements for the provision of NG911 services will not necessarily be executed by the LGA itself, but by its designated or contracted PSAPs.” Calgary/EComm also submitted that the NG911 LGA agreement template does not adequately address the NG911 network provider’s duties and obligations regarding privacy, confidentiality, or indemnity. “Calgary/EComm proposed changes to make clauses within the agreement reciprocal, so that the NG911 network providers are responsible for the same privacy, confidentiality, and indemnity clauses as the LGAs. The proposed changes include: the addition of a clause to require a privacy impact assessment; clarification on the clause pertaining to the use of information or data provided by an end-user; and clarification of terms to make it clear that liability should rest with the party responsible for the system in which a problem originates,” according to the commission documents. Telus used the comments to form a revised template which the commission ultimately approved.

CRTC approves Telus NG911 Local Government Service Agreement

Brief | May 5, 2022

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CRTC approves Telus NG911 Local Government Service Agreement

Brief | May 5, 2022

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