Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
National

CRTC Won't Force Wireless Telecom Companies To Offer Bills On Paper

Darpan News Desk, 03 Mar, 2020 08:06 PM

    OTTAWA - Canada's telecom regulator won't force mobile service providers to offer customers paper invoices, at least not yet.

     

    But the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is opening a consultation to learn more about whether there's a "market failure" that demands the government step in.

     

    Two advocacy groups wanted the CRTC to force Telus-owned Koodo Mobile to reverse its move to electronic billing for all but a select few of its customers.

     

    John Lawford with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, which filed a formal complaint to the CRTC alongside the National Pensioners Federation, said Canadians have a right to receive paper bills— at no cost — under changes to the Telecommunications Act passed in 2014.

     

    Koodo argued that, while the law says telecom companies cannot charge a fee for invoicing, they are not compelled to actually provide paper bills.

     

    Since Koodo began switching to electronic bills in early 2015, most other wireless carriers, including Telus, have followed suit. Rogers is planning to do the same as of March 26.

     

    As long as companies clearly spell out their invoicing policies to new customers, the CRTC ruled Tuesday, "the offering of paper bills may operate as a competitive incentive, and that one communications service provider's refusal to cater to such a demand can be another provider's opportunity to gain a customer."

     

    But, says the ruling, the investigation of this particular complaint was narrow.

     

    "The evidence on the record of this proceeding is insufficient for the commission to conclude that the marketplace has failed to meet an economic or social need regarding the provision of paper bills and that commission intervention is warranted, since the evidence related largely to Koodo," it says.

     

    So the CRTC is seeking more information about other providers' practices, and whether there's a need for regulations, especially to protect people who might have trouble paying bills online. It's seeking input on both telecom and broadcasting services. Providers will have a month to file information on their invoicing practices. Further examination of the issues will take until the end of May.

     

    MORE National ARTICLES

    RAVINDER SINGH SANDHU Identified As The Victim Of Langley Shooting, IHIT Ask For Witnesses

    IHIT said Sandhu was known to police and his murder is believed to be a targeted incident.

    RAVINDER SINGH SANDHU Identified As The Victim Of Langley Shooting, IHIT Ask For Witnesses

    Kelowna RCMP Investigating Incident Between Woman, Youth

    Kelowna RCMP Investigating Incident Between Woman, Youth
    Eyewitnesses To An Alleged Attack Tell Castanet Two People Were Attacked At The Corner Of Lanfranco Road And Gordon Drive Tuesday ...  

    Kelowna RCMP Investigating Incident Between Woman, Youth

    BC's Police Watchdog Investigating After North Vancouver Woman's Death

    BC's Police Watchdog Investigating After North Vancouver Woman's Death
    RCMP has notified the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO BC) of an incident in North Vancouver which has resulted in a woman’s death in Squamish.

    BC's Police Watchdog Investigating After North Vancouver Woman's Death

    Canada Line Still Winning Ridership Gold: TransLink Celebrates The 10-Year Anniversary Of The Vancouver Winter Olympics

     New figures show that after 10 years in service, ridership on the Canada Line is still breaking records. The Canada Line had more than 50 million annual boardings for the first time in its history last year, representing a 30 per cent increase in ridership since 2010.

    Canada Line Still Winning Ridership Gold: TransLink Celebrates The 10-Year Anniversary Of The Vancouver Winter Olympics

    Masked Male Allegedly Chases Woman At Aldergrove Park In Langley

    Langley RCMP is seeking the assistance of the public with an investigation into a suspicious incident in January.    

    Masked Male Allegedly Chases Woman At Aldergrove Park In Langley

    NDP Criticises Andrew Wilkinson For Characterizing Domestic And Sexual Violence As ‘A Tough Marriage’

    NDP Criticises Andrew Wilkinson For Characterizing Domestic And Sexual Violence As ‘A Tough Marriage’
    The NDP on Wednesday stated that, BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson referred to individuals fleeing domestic and sexual violence as “people who are in a tough marriage.”

    NDP Criticises Andrew Wilkinson For Characterizing Domestic And Sexual Violence As ‘A Tough Marriage’