GATINEAU – The CRTC this week told consumer group Public interest Advocacy Centre that there are already ample ways for customers to lodge complaints over what they feel are unfair telco sales practices and that no new public hearing is needed.
After some 2017 CBC.ca stories levelled accusations of potentially unfair, high-pressure sales tactics against Bell Canada (the CBC in January then did a similar story about Rogers Communications), PIAC last month called on the CRTC to launch a formal inquiry into the matter.
Both Bell and Rogers have vehemently denied the claims which were made by employees, former employees and customers in the stories.
“The nature of these allegations is so serious that a formal inquiry into the entire industry’s sales practices is required. PIAC would be surprised, given the nature of the markets and market players involved, if these practices were not widespread across the industry, rather than being the property of one provider,” said PIAC in its appeal to the Commission.
However, in a February 12th letter signed by CRTC chairman Ian Scott, he told the group “Canadians already have a variety of options available to them to seek redress depending on the nature of the issue.
“If Canadians consider that their wireless, Internet, home phone or TV service provider has not provided clear and accurate information to them about their contract(s), or is not acting in a manner consistent with the CRTC’s Wireless Code or Television Service Provider Code, they should first try to resolve the issue with their service provider. If the matter is not resolved to their satisfaction, they are encouraged to escalate the complaint to the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS).”
Scott’s letter then noted that consumer satisfaction with the CCTS’s “is consistently high with 91% of complaints resolved to the satisfaction of both the consumer and service provider last year. In that period, the CCTS reviewed over 8,600 complaints, and consumers received compensation in 74% of the complaints, for a total of $2.3 million.
“I would also note that the Competition Act (the Act) contains provisions that specifically address false or misleading representations and deceptive marketing practices. The Competition Bureau enforces the Act and where appropriate investigates deceptive marketing and misleading advertising practices complaints. Canadians may contact the Competition Bureau with their concerns.”
