Consumers, employees, stakeholders encouraged to come forward
OTTAWA – Canadians who have been on the receiving end of misleading or aggressive retail sales practices from the country’s telecommunication companies will now have the opportunity to tell their story to the CRTC. We suppose those who've had good experiences can also tell their stories, too, should the urge strike them.
The Commission said Monday it is kicking off an inquiry on whether high-pressure and unsavoury sales tactics are used by Canada’s large telecommunications service providers. It wants to hear from consumers – including those who are vulnerable due to their age, a disability, or a language barrier, as well as current and former employees of the TSPs (who may apply for confidentiality).
The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), public interest organizations, research groups, and any other interested persons are also invited to weigh in, and the CRTC directed Bell Canada, Cogeco, Eastlink, Northwestel, Rogers Communications, SaskTel, Shaw Communications, TbayTel, TekSavvy, Telus Communications, Videotron, and Xplornet Communications to report on their sales practices and policies.
Comments and interventions are due by August 30 and the CRTC pledged to stage a public hearing at its headquarters in Gatineau beginning October 22, 2018.
The move comes as a result of an Order in Council from the federal government last month calling for a public inquiry into these retail sales practices. The OIC came after the Commission rejected an appeal by consumer groups to investigate media reports into unsavoury sales tactics. The Commission has until February 28, 2019 to complete the inquiry and file a report.
“To provide a meaningful report to the government, it is important that we hear from Canadians across the country”, said CRTC chair and CEO Ian Scott, in a statement. “We invite them to share their personal experiences with their telecommunications service providers in terms of misleading or aggressive retail sales practices. In particular, we encourage current and former employees as well as those who are more likely to be affected by these sales practices – such as seniors and people living with a disability or whose first language is neither English nor French – to come forward with their stories.”
