CRTC urged to deny delay of wireless code over concerns about bill shock

A consumer rights group argues consumers could face prolonged bill shock if the telecom regulator gives wireless carriers extra time to implement protections on how customers are billed for international roaming and data usage.

Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. both say they cannot update their billing systems to reflect changes to the wireless code by the Dec. 1 deadline. They asked the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for a six-month and a four-month extension, respectively, a request supported by competitors including BCE Inc., SaskTel and Ice Wireless.

But the Public Interest Advocacy Centre asked the CRTC to reject Rogers’s request. Responses to Telus’s request, filed late last week, have not yet been released.

“The peril to consumers is obvious. Substantial roaming and overage charges can be incurred without the knowledge or consent of the account holder footing the bill,” lawyer Ben Segel-Brown wrote in PIAC’s submission to the CRTC.

The CRTC updated the code in June to limit surprise charges for whoever pays the bill on shared accounts with multiple devices — typically parents whose teens rack up data charges. The regulator clarified that $50 and $100 data and roaming overage caps apply per account, not per device, and required carriers to notify account holders, not device holders, of international roaming charges.

The PIAC expressed skepticism about the technical difficulties. But it seemed especially concerned that consumers would not be notified of the changes and would only get their money back if they noticed an extra charge and took action.

“Many customers are not aware of their rights and will not complain to Rogers, so a reactive credit approach creates a windfall for Rogers,” PIAC’s intervention stated.

If the CRTC approves the extension, PIAC argued Rogers should be required to notify account holders about the changes that apply to them. PIAC suggested that Rogers should waive extra charges in cases where non-implemented protections apply. It argued this would protect customers and inspire carriers to comply with the code in a timely manner.

Meanwhile, Telus says it’s “impossible” for the company to implement the changes to its bill management system on time despite its “best efforts” since the CRTC announced its revised policy on June 15.

A redacted version of the Telus request, dated Nov. 16 and posted on the CRTC’s website Friday, said that there’s only a small number of customers that will be affected by the delay, since the bill management system doesn’t need to change for single-user accounts — only accounts with multiple users.

“In addition, Telus provides its customers with a data manager tool that already gives an account holder of a multi-user account the ability to manage authorized users by subscription ... Because of this tool, many existing TELUS customers already have their own account level protections from bill shock,” Telus said in its letter to the CRTC.

Many customers are not aware of their rights and will not complain to Rogers, so a reactive credit approach creates a windfall for Rogers.