Best practices made must-practices
GATINEAU – As of Friday, the CRTC’s Television Service Provider Code will come into effect, the Commission reminds in a press release issued this morning.
“The Code was created to help Canadians make informed choices about their television service provider and resolve disputes in a fair and effective manner,” says the release.
Starting September 1st, television service providers must:
• Provide customers with a Critical Information Summary and a copy of the agreement which includes a list of channels or packages they subscribe to, their monthly charges for services, the commitment period and how to file complaints.
• Clearly set out the duration of promotional offers, the regular price once any discounts end, and any obligations placed on a consumer if they accept the offer, such as a minimum commitment period.
• Provide customers with a timeframe and information on any potential charges regarding service calls for installations and repairs.
• Give 30 days’ notice to consumers in the event of a change in price of channels, bundles of channels or rental equipment.
For what it’s worth, many Canadian carriers have long been doing some or all of this, simply because it’s good for business.
The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) will administer the Code and adjudicate disputes. Anyone unable to resolve a dispute directly with their television service provider can file a complaint with the CCTS, but only about issues that took place after the September 1 effective date. Complaints can be filed using an interactive questionnaire at www.ccts-cprst.ca.
“The expansion of our mandate to include TV services gives consumers recourse to an independent and impartial dispute-resolution mechanism that did not previously exist. Given the large number of Canadians that subscribe to a telecom service and a TV service, often in a bundle from the same provider, this makes very good sense,” said CCTS Commissioner, Howard Maker, in a release. “The TV service provider Code will also set some minimum standards on which consumers can rely in the purchase and delivery of subscription TV service. This is a big step forward for consumers.”
The Code came out of the CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV process and is officially outlined here.
