Still Room for Improvement for Telecom-television Service Providers: Report

The CCTS Publishes its 2022 Compliance Monitoring Report
 

Ottawa (July 27, 2023) – Today the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) published its 2022 Compliance Monitoring Report (CMR), which reports on whether telecom and TV service providers comply with requirements aimed at ensuring fair and efficient complaint-handling for customers and promoting the CCTS.  The CMR contains data from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. 

The CMR reports on service provider compliance with the CCTS complaint-handling rules, as these matters impact the CCTS’ ability to investigate complaints efficiently and effectively. The CMR identifies an increase in service providers failing to promptly implement an agreed-to settlement, or a remedy imposed by the CCTS through the complaint-resolution process. This has a significant impact on customers and requires the CCTS to intervene with the service provider to make sure customers are made whole.  

“There are valuable opportunities for service providers to improve their compliance with the CCTS’ complaints process,” says Janet Lo, CCTS’ Assistant Commissioner for Legal, Regulatory and Stakeholder Affairs. “We are seeing more instances where providers fail to respond to complaints within the prescribed timeline or provide relevant documents to our staff.”  

In addition to compliance with the CCTS’ rules, service providers are required to contribute to building public awareness about the CCTS. The majority of the sixty audited service providers did not have an easily-accessible website complaint page or did not have information on their site about the CCTS, as  required. Most of these service providers also failed to demonstrate that the search function on their website properly returns results for key complaint-related terms, intended to bring to the attention of customers the availability of the CCTS’ complaints process in the event of unresolved issues. 

“When we observe non-compliance with the public awareness rules, we bring it to the service provider’s attention and make every effort to work with the service provider to bring it into compliance. In 2022, our work resulted in more service providers making the necessary efforts to comply with the public awareness rules so that customers are aware of our free complaint-resolution service,” continued Ms. Lo. “We will continue to proactively engage with service providers to ensure adherence to their obligations toward the CCTS, and to create a positive experience for customers in Canada.” 

Update

As of August 15, 2023, ICA has rectified its noncompliance issues and rejoined the CCTS.

About the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program 

The Compliance Monitoring Enforcement Program proactively guides Participating Service Providers (PSPs) in understanding their obligations and complying with them, such as following the rules of the CCTS complaint-handling process, informing customers about their rights to escalate unresolved issues to the CCTS, and paying their fees to the CCTS. 

The program encompasses various enforcement measures, such as public disclosure of non-compliant PSPs and the authority to terminate participation in the CCTS. Expulsion of a PSP from the CCTS triggers a breach of the regulatory requirements of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), which requires service providers in Canada to participate in the CCTS. In 2022, ICA Microsystems (ICA) was expelled from the CCTS for failing to comply with several mandatory requirements.In 2023, ICA is working with the CCTS to rectify its non-compliance and to rejoin the CCTS as a participating service provider. 

 

About the CCTS 

The CCTS is Canada’s national and independent organization dedicated to resolving customer complaints about telecommunications and television services, fairly and free of charge. Telecommunication and television service providers that offer services within the mandate of the CCTS must participate. The CCTS has industry-wide participation, with over 400 service provider participants 

This year, the CCTS celebrates 15 years of helping Canadians. To date, the CCTS has handled over 150,000 complaints – most resolved within 30 days. Customers are encouraged to reach out to us for help if they are unable to resolve a dispute with their service provider. Let’s talk solutions! 

 

Contact
Mathieu Pierre Dagonas, Director, Communications and Stakeholder Affairs
communications@ccts-cprst.ca