Ottawa, November 6, 2024 – The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) acknowledges the statement issued by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reminding telecom and TV service providers of the CCTS’ key role in implementing the CRTC’s consumer protection codes, and service providers’ obligation to inform their customers about the CCTS’ free and impartial ombuds service.
It is paramount that service providers clearly communicate information about prices and related terms, including whether prices are subject to increases, before the customer agrees to a service. Customers should seek clarity from service providers before agreeing to a service, and not hesitate to contact the CCTS if they have a complaint they can’t resolve with their provider. We are ready to help customers with complaints about billing errors, price increases, or lack of clarity in information provided to customers. We assess whether providers have followed the rules set by the CRTC when we investigate complaints, and we have the authority to hold providers accountable when they have not followed those rules.
The CCTS continues to monitor industry trends and service providers’ compliance with their public awareness requirements. Our complaint process, compliance program, and public reporting all help to support our mission. We publish trends and data about complaints to inform service providers about opportunities to improve customer experiences and to help the CRTC monitor developments and take action where needed.
“Public awareness of the CCTS is a shared responsibility with service providers. For the CCTS to be able to help telecom and TV customers, they must first be aware of their right to file a complaint with us when a problem cannot be resolved directly with their service provider,” states Howard Maker, CCTS Commissioner and CEO.
Our annual service provider compliance auditing process is in progress, and we will publish public awareness compliance results in spring 2025. We will engage with and educate non-compliant phone, TV and internet service providers through our auditing process. We will closely review service provider responses to the CRTC’s letter.
About the CCTS
The CCTS is Canada’s national, independent telecom and TV ombuds organization dedicated to working with consumers and service providers to provide impartial, fair, and effective complaint resolution services.
For over 16 years the CCTS has kept customers connected by handling over 190,000 complaints – with most of those being resolved within 20 days. Remarkably, 9 out of 10 customers find a satisfactory resolution through our service. Customers are encouraged to reach out to us for help if they are unable to resolve a dispute with their service provider.
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Media contact
Glen Ashworth, Manager, Communications
613-591-6054
communications@ccts-cprst.ca