Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to Jean-François Dumoulin (Iris Technologies Inc.)
Gatineau, 20 June 2025
Reference(s): 8000-C12-202306860
BY E-MAIL
Jean-François Dumoulin
VP Regulatory and Government Affairs
Iris Technologies Inc.
403 - 16766 TransCanada Hwy
Kirkland, QC, H9H 4M7
regulatory@iristel.com
Subject: Compliance with Wireless Public Alerting Requirements – Iris Technologies Inc.
Thank you for your letter to the Commission dated 30 April 2025 regarding implementation of wireless public alerting (WPA). In this letter, Iris Technologies Inc. (Iristel) stated that it has reviewed quotes from vendors for the components, services and support necessary to implement WPA, but has not moved forward on implementation.
Commission staff is aware that on 15 March 2018, Iristel (through its affiliate Ice Wireless) filed a joint part 1 application with the Commission seeking a suspension or variance of Telecom Regulation Policy 2017-91, arguing that the Commission erred in its determination “that WPA implementation…would result in nominal costs on a per-customer basis”. By staff letter, this application was returned on 29 March 2018, and an expectation was given that the Commission would “…take a holistic view of wireless public alerting implementation and identify potential obstacles to full participation” by all wireless service providers (WSPs). However, since that date, no follow-up action has been taken by the Commission.
Notwithstanding this, WPA is a critical service for providing the public with timely information about emergency situations. Through various activities and Commission endeavours, WPA has been implemented by the vast majority of WSPs across Canada.
In light of the fact that WPA has yet to be implemented on Iristel’s WPA compatible network(s), Commission staff requests that Iristel respond to the following questions:
- In a letter to the Commission dated November 22 2024, Iristel declared its intentions to file a part 1 application with the Commission requesting funds from the National Contribution Fund to cover WPA implementation costs. What is the projected timeline for Iristel’s planned application?
- Regardless of whether the application described in Q1 is eventually submitted or, if submitted, ultimately approved by the Commission, please comment on the prospect of the Commission initiating a show-cause proceeding to set a new WPA implementation deadline for Iristel.
Please repeat the question before responding.
This letter and any subsequent submissions will be placed on the CRTC’s website and may be placed on the record of any future public proceedings on this matter. As set out in section 39 of the Telecommunications Act and in CRTC 2010-961, 23 December 2010, you may designate certain information as confidential. However, you must provide a detailed explanation as to why the designated information is confidential and why its disclosure would not be in the public interest, including why the specific direct harm that would be likely to result from the disclosure would outweigh the public interest in disclosure. Furthermore, should you designate information as confidential, you must either file an abridged version of the document omitting only the information designated as confidential or provide reasons why an abridged version cannot be filed.
The Commission requires all confidential documents to be submitted electronically by using the secured service “My CRTC Account (Partner Log In or GCKey)“ and filing the “Telecom Cover Page” located on that web page.
Please submit your response no later than 11 July 2025, by 5:00 p.m., Vancouver time. If you have any questions or require additional time, please contact Mr. Amjad Iqbal at (819) 360-2891 or via email at amjad.iqbal@crtc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Michael Crupi
Manager, Network Technology
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission
c.c.: regulatory@icewireless.com; jdumoulin@iristel.com; regulatory@karrier.one
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