GATINEAU — On Monday, the CRTC initiated a proceeding to examine the offer and promotion of accessible wireless plans by wireless service providers and the extent to which these plans meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities.
All retail wireless service providers are required to offer accessible wireless plans and to promote those plans in ways that are accessible, including through stores, websites and customer service representatives.
The aim of the proceeding, however, is to look at how wireless service providers are complying with these requirements, whether differences exist between primary and flanker brands, whether the plans currently offered and promoted are sufficient to meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities, and whether additional regulatory measures are required.
In its notice of consultation, the Commission says several previous proceedings, including the one that led to its Report on Misleading or Aggressive Communications Retail Sales Practices, revealed dissatisfaction and concern among Canadians with disabilities regarding the accessible wireless plans currently available.
“Many have expressed the view that accessible wireless plans are neither sufficient to meet their needs nor sufficiently promoted. Moreover, Canadians with disabilities (i) have argued that customer service representatives are not sufficiently knowledgeable about accessible wireless plans and (ii) have raised concerns related to the availability and accuracy of information being communicated regarding the technology, speed, data allowances, pricing, and discounts,” reads the Commission’s notice of consultation.
Furthermore, the Commission says some wireless service providers have seemed to question whether their obligations regarding accessible wireless plans apply to all of their brands and subsidiaries. The Commission says its preliminary view is the requirement to offer accessible wireless service plans is imposed on all brands operated by a wireless service provider and each brand must independently comply with the requirements.
The following wireless service providers have been made parties to the proceeding by the Commission: Bell; Brooke Telecom Co-operative; Bruce Telecom Ontario; Bragg Communications (Eastlink); Execulink Telecom; Hay Communications Co-operative; Huron Telecommunications Co-operative; Ice Wireless; Mornington Communications Co-operative; Petro Canada Mobility; Quadro Communications Co-operative; Rogers Communications; SaskTel; Shaw; Sogetel; TBayTel; Telus; Tuckersmith Communications Co-operative; Videotron; Xplornet Communications; and Wightman Telecom.
The wireless service providers must respond to the requests for information set out in the appendix to the notice of consultation by July 2, 2020. The deadline for interested parties to submit interventions is August 31, 2020. Replies to interventions are due by September 29, 2020.
