
VOIS in Violation of CRTC Order to Re-Join Telecom Ombudsman Organization
Ottawa, May 30, 2017 – The Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) confirmed today that VOIS Inc. (VOIS) has failed to re-join CCTS’ telecom complaints-handling organization, contrary to a mandatory order from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requiring it to do so.
Participation in CCTS is a regulatory requirement imposed on telecommunications service providers by the CRTC, the industry regulator. In August 2016 CCTS terminated VOIS’ participation for failing to co-operate with its complaint resolution process, including ignoring binding recommendations regarding six separate customer complaints to CCTS. After a public proceeding, on April 27, 2017 the CRTC ordered VOIS to re-join CCTS by May 29, subject to any specific requirements imposed by CCTS. CCTS notified VOIS that in order to re-join, VOIS would have to implement CCTS’ binding recommendations in the six separate customer complaints that VOIS had ignored. CCTS received no response from VOIS, and today so notified the CRTC.
“The result of VOIS continuing to ignore CCTS is that VOIS’ customers do not have the benefit of the protection offered by the right to complain to CCTS, the independent complaint-handling organization,” said CCTS Commissioner Howard Maker. “Customers of other service providers know that they have recourse to CCTS, which will ensure that they are treated fairly by their service providers. Customers of VOIS are being denied this benefit. We have notified the CRTC of VOIS’ failure to rejoin CCTS, and look forward to the CRTC’s next steps in this matter.”
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About the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS)
Since July 2007, CCTS has provided consumers with an independent and impartial mechanism for the resolution of complaints about deregulated local and long distance telephone services, as well as wireless service and internet access. This includes billing errors, compliance with contract terms and commitments, service delivery, credit management and collections issues. Visit our website at www.ccts-cprst.ca.
For more information: Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), communication@ccts-cprst.ca