OTTAWA – Bell Canada must either credit or reimburse its residential rotary dial customers who were charged in error for touch-tone service that they didn’t have, a practice that the CRTC called “inappropriate”.
The Commission said Wednesday that it received an application by consumer groups the Consumers’ Association of Canada and Canada Without Poverty last December, alleging that Bell was charging a monthly rate of $2.80 for touch-tone service to the company’s grandfathered rotary dial customers. The groups called the fee "an unauthorized rate increase".
Bell Canada acknowledged that some grandfathered customers were affected by its revenue assurance program, which was supposed to be limited to customers who had already received touch-tone service. It also said that as a result of this complaint, it had provided additional training to its service representatives regarding the revenue assurance program and grandfathered rotary dial service.
The CRTC has ordered Bell to reimburse or credit any grandfathered customer who contacts the company, including applicable interest, for rates improperly charged.
