OTTAWA – With more Canadians than ever connected to all manner of devices in so many ways, complaints about wireless services, Internet access and VoIP providers more than doubled in the past year, according to the 2010-2011 annual report for the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS).
The CCTS said that it received 8,007 complaints, up 114% over last year, which Commissioner Howard Maker noted was the largest year-over-year increase in complaints in the organization’s four year history.
Wireless complaints accounted for 62.3% of all complaints, up from 51.7% last year, which Maker said reflected the increasing availability of wireless services to Canadians as well as “the increasing complexity” of those services. They were followed by Internet access at 16.7% (up from 15.2% in the year before), and local exchange and VoIP at 14.7%, down from 23.7% in 2009-2010. Long distance accounted for 5.3% of complaints.
Similar to last year, almost 80% of the complaints that the CCTS accepted in 2010-2011 were either about a contract dispute or a billing error (34% and 45%, respectively), while another 19% involved installation, repairs or equipment maintenance.
Not surprisingly, the country’s three major incumbents generated the majority of the complaints. Bell Canada had 2,348 complaints opened, with flanker brand Virgin at 637; Telus ranked second with 1,387 complaints, while Koodo had 129; and Rogers generated 1,355 complaints with Fido at 657.
While it may seem obvious to link the rise in complaints to the arrival of at least four new wireless providers, Mobilicity, Public Mobile, Wind Mobile, and Videotron in generated only 265 complaints between them.
Maker, who had his contract renewed for another five years, said that the primary reason for the increase is improved public awareness of the industry-funded agency.
“This has been accomplished through a combination of initiatives, including bill messages and website links that participating service providers make available to customers, as well as our outreach to consumers through various channels”, he added.
After the CCTS report was released, the Canadian Consumer Initiative, which is made up consumer organizations Consumers Council of Canada, Option Consommateurs, Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Union des consommateurs, issued a statement calling for action from the federal government and the CRTC in light of the jump in wireless complaints.
It recommended stricter rules on service providers regarding customer service and disclosure of information; rescinding the 2006 Directive issued by Cabinet to the CRTC to rely on market forces rather than regulation; and to create an advisory committee to examine the policy framework of telecommunications, along with consumers associations.
