CRTC orders Telus to stop blocking cellphone traffic to the North

Canada's telecommunications regulator has issued a temporary orderrulingTelus needs to make sure calls from its customers get through to Ice Wireless customers in northern Canada.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted two interim relief requestsFriday in an ongoing dispute involving Telus and Iris Technologies Inc. Each company made those requests as part of their submissions in the case earlier this year.

Iristel the parent company of Ice Wireless alleges Telus is actively blocking calls from Telus customers to Ice Wireless customers, and has been doing so since May 29.

Telus insists it's not blocking any calls. Instead, it says it's taking steps to "control the flow of traffic to Iristel," according to a Sept. 10 submission to the CRTC.

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Telus argues that it's doing this because Iristel is engaging in traffic stimulation, a practice where Iristel numbers in northern Canada are assigned to services not located in the North, illegally boosting its profits from a previous agreement with Telus.

The CRTC has yet to rule on the validity of either claim, but says in the meantime, the reduced capacity on the network "is not reasonable nor in the public interest" and the issue of calls not being completed needs to be addressed in an "expeditious manner."

10 days to change

The telecommunications regulator cited call failures reported by Iristel in its application and reporting from CBC News earlier this fall as evidence inthe ruling.

Friday's ruling gave TelusDec. 3 as thedeadline toensure all calls to Iristel's users in northern Canada with an 867 area codeconnect normally. It also requires that Telus file a report with the CRTC confirming they've done so by the deadline.

It also granted Telus' request to make the fees Iristelcharges to use its network "interim." That leaves open the possibility the CRTCcould order compensation to Telusif the regulatorrules in its favour.

It's not clear when the CRTCwill make its final ruling in the case.