Bell looking to CRTC for clarity on mobile PES requirements

BCE Inc. is looking to the CRTC to confirm it can make changes to how it provides primary exchange services to customers in forborne exchanges when offering those services on mobile networks instead of wireline, as it continues decommissioning its copper infrastructure. Bell filed a Part 1 application with the CRTC this month explaining that the service obligations it has for customers in these areas do not match the technology it intends to use as the company looks to decommission its outdated copper wireline infrastructure. Bell proposes to meet those obligations by offering comparable services over wireless. The CRTC defines primary exchange services (PES) as "a wireline-based telephone service that provides customers with unlimited local calling within a defined area at a flat monthly rate, as well as access to a long distance network of the customer's choice.” While the CRTC has maintained the obligation for large incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) to provide residential standalone PES in forborne exchanges, Bell notes the CRTC first allowed ILECS to offer mobile primary exchange services in forborne exchanges more than a decade ago. But despite that change, the company does not believe any ILECs have done so “due to the potential incompatibility of certain outdated PES obligations with mobile wireless. “These legacy requirements cannot be practically implemented on industry wireless platforms without substantial modifications and, in some cases, are simply technologically unfeasible given the fundamental differences between wireline and wireless network architectures,” Bell wrote in its application. As part of its application, Bell wants the CRTC to revisit a decision it made in 2020, in which it declined to get rid of “equal access” rules for mobile PES in forborne exchanges. According to the rules, customers in forborne locations must be able to choose a long-distance phone provider separate from their local calling provider if they so wish. Bell wrote in its application that many wireless plans in Canada now come with unlimited Canada-wide calling. In its 2020 decision, the CRTC said that it was “unclear” what the impact would be if it removed the equal access criteria from the standalone PES obligations when considering wireless services. It noted it got little input from players in its proceeding prior to the decision, and said it would be “premature to remove the equal access obligation for mobile wireless services for large ILECs without considering the broader equal access principle in a more holistic manner.” Long distance equal access is not the only requirement Bell wants to pitch an alternative for. Customers in forborne regions have to be offered teletypewriter (TTY) relay service, by which deaf, hard of hearing, and speech-impaired people can communicate via a telephone-typewriter hybrid device over a phone network. But the company says in order to provide exactly that service, it would have to continue maintaining its aging wireline infrastructure. Bell proposes that ILECs could instead offer Internet protocol (IP) relay service for people in mobile PES areas, meaning internet-based text-to-voice service for deaf, hard of hearing, and speech-impaired people, and wants confirmation from the CRTC whether that is true. It says it would make sure customers do not take on any extra costs. Another request from Bell relates to privacy. According to the company, it is able to meet privacy obligations on wireline networks the same as it does on wireless, with the exception of the technicalities of call tracing — a service which allows people to request that call records be provided to law enforcement if they are dealing with harassment or abusive calls. On wireline services, customers can dial *57 after getting an unwanted call, which tells their phone company to record the phone number of the last incoming call, even if the caller ID is blocked, for future use by police. It’s a mechanism that was built for wireline and which Bell says is redundant for wireless given that all call detail records are automatically captured on such service, including on mobile PES. It wants the CRTC’s confirmation that this is an accepted alternative to *57 where mobile PES is offered. Overall, Bell says it will not use mobile PES as a replacement for wireline PES, but rather it will use it selectively where it makes technological and economic sense, such as in places where it is decommissioning copper or is opting not to make repairs to or replace aging wireline infrastructure. It said it would offer a mobile PES plan with unlimited Canada-wide calling, priced at or below the PES price cap in forborne exchanges, and at a fixed rate for businesses. Despite a 2011 decision in which the CRTC determined mobile wireless services could be a “viable alternative to traditional wireline PES,” Bell argues, no ILEC has put mobile PES in place “primarily due to the challenges in adapting certain PES obligations to a wireless environment. Bell noted “critical equipment” needed for copper networks is no longer manufactured and sometimes not supported by vendors. It also said the number of technicians trained to repair and maintain copper networks is “shrinking,” with visits for fixes to copper networks often requiring more visits from technicians to fix problems. The company said it has had to source parts from places like eBay. “These challenges have continued to create barriers to innovation and led to inefficient allocation of resources by requiring continued investment in aging copper technology as ILECs continue to provision standalone PES only over copper networks,” Bell concluded. Interventions to the proceeding are due at the CRTC by May 20. hdaley@thewirereport.ca

Bell looking to CRTC for clarity on mobile PES requirements

Regulatory |
By Hannah Daley
| April 30, 2025

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