CRTC reopens Rogers application seeking changes to Bell’s BNS services

The CRTC has reopened a Part 1 application originally submitted by Rogers Communications Inc. back in 2019, asking the regulator to make changes to BCE Inc.’s billed number screening (BNS) database service charges for wireless service providers (WSPs). In a letter posted on Nov. 10, the CRTC said, “given the amount of time elapsed since the record closed and the release of the 2023 policy direction,” it would be reopening the proceeding, inviting Rogers to submit an updated application and stakeholders to submit new or revised interventions. In its 2019 application, Rogers asked the CRTC to lift the requirement for WSPs and wireless carriers to input their telephone numbers into Bell’s BNS database, as well as confirm that they should not have to pay Bell for the service. It also asked the commission to change the rules around collect calls, setting up a regime where collect or bill-to-third-party calls would not go through to wireless customers by default, unless their WSP chooses to accept them and has a commercial agreement with an interexchange service provider (IXSP). This would change the current regime, which requires carriers and WSPs to input the phone numbers of customers that do not want to receive collect calls into a BNS database, like Bell’s. IXSPs check these databases during such calls and, if the number is not on the list, the call goes through. They then charge the service provider on the receiving end through billing and collection services (BCS). “The current regime is unfair and needs to be changed,” Rogers argued, “as IXSPs are the ones who benefit from BCS, they should be the ones to pay Bell for the BNS service.” According to Rogers, collect calling services are declining and most wireless customers do not use the service. It stated that because WSPs and carriers are not mandated to provide BCS to IXSPs, it makes no sense for them to be mandated to enter their phone numbers into a BNS database that they have to pay fees for. To cut the costs for WSPs and carriers who are obligated to put their numbers in BNS databases, Bell should revise the rates it charges for those services or the CRTC should block IXSPs from routing collect calls to wireless customers unless they have a deal saying otherwise. In its answer, Bell agreed that WSPs and carriers are not required to provide BCS payments to IXSPs, but opposed the rest of Rogers’ requests. It stated that although WSPs are required to use BNS databases, nothing is making it mandatory for Rogers to use Bell’s and it is free to take its business to a different one. Bell noted that the majority of WSPs do not use its database. It added that the company’s application only looks like a dispute between the two telcos on the outside, but “Rogers is in reality seeking changes to the way the industry as a whole handles collect call eligibility.” “Rogers’ proposal to overhaul the regime in order to set up different logical rules for wireless telephone numbers would be inefficient, likely inaccurate and would create confusion in the marketplace,” Bell argued. It said that although collect calling services are declining among wireless customers, Rogers is wrong to say that all WSPs do not allow them, adding that Bell Mobility does allow collect calls to some of its users. Telus Corp. was the only other party to chime in on the proceeding and, while it disagreed with Rogers’ proposal to revise Bell’s rates, it supported the telco’s request for a regime where wireless numbers are not charged for collect calls by default. It argued that such a system would be simpler and less disruptive than charging IXSPs for BNS service costs, because WSPs would no longer be required to store their numbers in databases and IXSPs would no longer have to deal with the fees from searching those databases. Telus did note, however, that such a policy decision would require a full proceeding and should not be decided through the Part 1 process. Rogers has been given until Nov. 20 to submit an updated application to the proceeding and all interested parties will have until Nov. 30 to submit interventions. – Reporting by Phalen Tynes-MacDonald at pcreed@thewirereport.ca and editing by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca

CRTC reopens Rogers application seeking changes to Bell’s BNS services

News | November 16, 2023

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CRTC reopens Rogers application seeking changes to Bell’s BNS services

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