When shopping for services, we know network technology and quality can be competitive differentiators.
Canada’s wireless association, the CWTA, has told us that Canada’s wireless industry invested $2.6B in capital in 2011 alone, as wireless has “become a critical component of our economic prosperity.”
Just a couple of months ago, differentiating on wireless network quality was a matter before the courts, after the Competition Bureau challenged an ad campaign where Rogers’ Chatr brand boasted fewer dropped calls than the new entrant wireless carriers and said that its subscribers shouldn’t worry about dropped calls.
Other failures have been on the application side. There have been some celebrated outages for Blackberry users affecting customers around the world.
The CRTC has toyed with quality of service reporting requirements over the past 20 years. In its original Long Distance decision, the CRTC required local phone companies to provide their long distance competitors “with the earliest possible notice of all network outages affecting the operation of [their] network.” In 2000, the CRTC codified this and required “that the telephone companies should report all service outages that affect competitors and that exceed 15 minutes in duration.” Further, the CRTC required filing: a) the duration and reason for the outage; b) the extent to which service to the telephone company’s other customers was affected; c) the time at which service was restored to the competitor; and d) the time at which service was restored to the telephone company’s other customers.
Driven by the Policy Direction, as part of a paperwork reduction initiative, in 2009, the CRTC eliminated this reporting.
Also in 2000, the CRTC had required reporting of major service interruptions affecting large groups of customers. In Decision 2000-24, the CRTC defined three categories:
- Category 1 – Local network outage causing small community isolation lasting 60 minutes or longer.
- Category 2 – Local network outage relating to 10,000 lines lasting 60 minutes or longer.
- Category 3 – Local network outage relating to 30,000 lines lasting 60 minutes or longer.
The world of telecommunications has evolved since quality of service indicators were established. Wireline services are in decline; the latest CRTC monitoring report shows there are now nearly three times as many wireless connections as there are residential phone lines. Over the past five years, Canadians disconnected more than 1 million wired lines and added 5.8M wireless services.
In a competitive environment, consumers have choices. In announcing the Wireless Code, CRTC Chair JP Blais said:
The wireless code is a tool that will empower consumers and help them make informed choices about the service options that best meet their needs. To make the most of this tool, consumers also have a responsibility to educate themselves.
To make informed choices, consumers need to have access to useful information upon which they can make decisions. What network quality information should consumers have available? What services should be reported? Should VoIP, Long Distance, Wireless, internet access all be captured or just local wireline services? What about TV distribution? What about applications like Blackberry Messenger, Skype, Twitter, Facetime, etc.?
The three pillars of the CRTC’s 3-year workplan are Create, Connect and Protect. The Connect pillar is described as:
The CRTC’s activities under this pillar ensure that Canadians can connect to quality and innovative communication services at affordable prices and have access to creative content. This includes services that facilitate access to the communication system by Canadians with disabilities. By fostering competition, the CRTC strives to provide Canadians with choice and improved rates and services.
In the United States, there is a Network Outage Reporting System operated by the FCC. The system, applicable to wireline, wireless and interconnected VoIP services, is considered essential enough that the FCC has kept that system running during the current US Government furlough. Because of the impact on consumer access to emergency services, the reports to the FCC are made available to the Department of Homeland Security.
It is perhaps appropriate that the the CRTC launch an inquiry today looking at “Matters related to emergency 9-1-1 services“. At paragraph 151 of the Inquiry Officer’s Report, there is a reference to the concerns in the United States about network reliability, and at paragraph 181, there is reference to improved data collection requirements. At paragraph 245 of the Inquiry Officer’s report, he suggests that a multi-stakeholder organization be charged with “Devising performance metrics for carriers, databases, and other networked participants, including levels of service to [Public Safety Answering Points].”
Should the CRTC be collecting and disseminating network outage information that helps consumers make informed choices? Should that information be restricted to Public Safety purposes, or be used to help consumers make informed choices about their communications services?