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The federal watchdog that processes customer complaints regarding telecommunications and television services in Canada has seen a 57% increase in the number of complaints in 2017-18, most of them involving wireless service providers.
The TV and Television Services Complaints Commission said on Tuesday that it also expects to see an increase in the number of complaints this year. For the first time, the federal watchdog also investigates complaints about television.
But the basics of what he heard from the exercise until September 2018 concerned the same issues that the CCTS dealt with over the last 10 years – the non-disclosure of Billing information and surprises from mobile operators.
"Customers will communicate with their service provider and then discover that the reality of what they are getting does not match what they hoped for." This leads to billing issues, fees to which users are not satisfied. Do not wait, regarding the limitation of bandwidth or data, "said CCST commissioner Howard Maker.
"It's a mismatch of customer expectations and what their service provider provides."
Maker said that the complaints came despite a revised wireless code designed to protect consumers. It came into effect in December 2017.
Howard Maker, Commissioner of the CCTS, explains that telecom service providers have a lot to do, especially with regards to handling complaints before they reach the telecommunications watchdog. (Andrew Lee / CBC)
The CCTS processed 14,272 consumer complaints in 2017-2018. Of these, 41.5% were wireless and 29.2% were Internet. Television complaints accounted for only 10.6% of the total.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has held hearings on the sales practices of the telephone companies earlier this year and is expected to present the findings in February.
Consumer advocates who spoke at the hearings complained that telecom operators are misleading the elderly and low-income people using pressure tactics. They called for a code of conduct for sales and a period of "reflection" to allow consumers to terminate contracts that do not meet their needs.
John Lawford of the Public Interest Advocacy Center said the fact that consumers are complaining more is a positive sign, as it means the government could listen.
"It's time for us to start increasing the number of complaints in Canada, and I'm glad people are starting to actively complain now," he said.
He called for policies that would foster greater competition in the telecommunications sector and "possibly break the market power of key players".
Lawford suggested rules on wholesale prices that would encourage competition from smaller players.
"The big players have to be threatened, so they can not do what they want," he said.
(CBC)
According to Maker, telecom providers have a lot to do to do better.
"We see a lot of complaints from customers we send that do not have business going as far as the CCTS. Small complaints for which the proof of the supplier indicates that the customer has merit, that the story told by the customer is true, and yet "are not solved on the front line, probably because no one has looked at them folders, "he said.
According to Mr. Maker, the CRTC's audience-oriented media coverage of sales practices could have raised awareness of the CCTS and its complaint process among more consumers.
Telecommunication operators need to step up
But he also called the telephone companies – especially Bell, Rogers and Telus, the biggest players who account for half of the complaints – to improve their practices.
"The disclosure factor is one that offers opportunities for improvement: it must be ensured that all the information necessary for customers to truly understand what they are getting are complete," Maker said.
The documents must be clear, complete and written in an accessible language. Consumers need to be informed about "all the ins and outs they need to be sure to get what they think they're getting," he said.
Internet service complaints escalate
The CCTS has noted an increase in the number of Internet service complaints, which have increased by 170% over the past five years, to 8,987 complaints.
Problems include billing and disclosure issues, but also quality of service, such as Internet speed, Internet outages, and surcharges due to excessive bandwidth usage. Consumers also complained about the facilities, including technicians who do not show up at the time.
"Consumer protections are in place for television and wireless, where there are codes, but in the Internet sector, there is none, so it seems the CRTC wants to fill this gap" said Maker.
"That would be tantamount to making everyone understand the rights of consumers and suppliers."
When the CCTS comes in
The CCTS claims to have resolved 92% of consumer complaints handled.
Among them were:
- A customer in Laval, Quebec, agreed to get a set of home phone, Internet and television services for $ 111 a month, but was billed at $ 131 a month. The supplier told her that she was not eligible for the offer at a price of $ 111 per month. The CCTS was able to get the lower price for it for 12 months.
- A customer in Langley, BC received an offer from his service provider regarding a new mobile device, which included a device protection plan. The client paid $ 280 for the device and thought she had a monthly contract. The device broke and she received a refurbished replacement. When she expressed her dissatisfaction, she learned that she was stuck in a 24-month plan with a $ 500 cancellation fee. The CCTS found that the supplier did not inform the customer that by accepting the new device, it was agreeing to a 24-month contract and that it had not sent him a copy of the contract as required by the wireless services.
- A customer from Saskatchewan has subscribed to the satellite-provided Internet service. The service worked fine for a few days, until the speed of the Internet decreased, especially when used to play or watch Netflix. The supplier said that a new plan would be needed to get these speeds. When the CCTS intervened, the vendor proposed an upgrade to a new infrastructure with no installation fees and a credit to the customer.
The record of the telephone companies in 2017-18
The most cited provider is Bell, the largest telecommunications provider in Canada, with 4,734 complaints, an increase of 45.8%. The number of complaints related to monthly pricing and non-disclosure errors has increased significantly.
The CCTS began receiving complaints about the television service in September 2017. It recorded 3,248 complaints in the first year. (Deyan Georgiev / Shutterstock)
Bell highlighted the increase in the number of complaints for almost all providers.
"Overall, the number of complaints about communications providers has increased every year because the CCTS 'mandate and consumer awareness of its services continues to grow," the company said in a statement.
He said his investments in front-line service teams and support systems had a "positive impact on the performance of our customer service."
Rogers, which received 1,449 complaints, sent an email to Eric Agius, spokesperson: "A complaint is one too many, and we always take into account the comments of our customers to continually improve . "
Telus issued a press release stating that it would receive the lowest number of complaints from all domestic suppliers, accounting for only 6.6% of complaints.
"Of the 901 Telus complaints resolved before the 2017-2018 deadline, 757, or 84%, were resolved at the pre-investigation stage," the statement said.
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