GATINEAU – Thanks to two CBC.ca news stories in late 2017 which allege some unsavoury, high pressure sales tactics are being deployed by Bell Canada, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre is calling on the CRTC to launch a formal inquiry.
“Recent media stories in late 2017 have revealed disturbing practices by agents of at least one major Canadian telecommunications and TV service provider, including “upselling” and overselling, as well as allegations of misleading sales practices. Many of these aggressive sales practices appear to have targeted vulnerable consumers, including older Canadians, grieving spouses and a blind customer,” reads the letter.
As the stories note, Bell Canada vehemently denied the accusations made by a current and some former employees as well as some customers.
“Non-disclosure of terms and misleading information about terms accounted for 10.9% of complaints to the CCTS (Commissioner for Complaints for Telecom-television Services) in 2016-17, a 6.6% increase in complaints year over year. Incorrect charges, inadequate quality of service, the legitimacy of early cancellation fees, material changes to contracts, breaches of contracts, and credit /refunds not being received are also among the top 10 issues raised in complaints to the CCTS which also may be attributable at least in part to misleading sales or marketing. The volume of all of these categories of complaints has increased substantially since 2015-16,” adds the PIAC letter.
“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.”
The CRTC has not responded to the letter, which was only sent today (January 8). PIAC says the Commission and not the Competition Bureau is best suited to deal with these complaints and launch an inquiry because “the CRTC has a specific statutory power to inquire into matters such as the fairness of communications sales practices, under s. 48 of the Telecommunications Act and under s. 12 and 20 of the Broadcasting Act” and “that a public inquiry by the Commission into these sales practices may be the most expeditious, effective and transparent way for the Commission to ensure future confidence in the sales and marketing of communications services to Canadians.”
