On the wireless paper trail again
Koodo’s move to e-bills has some customers of the telecom provider seeking help
Back in 2010, Telus Mobility and subsidiary Koodo Mobile added a $2 monthly fee for customers who wanted their bills sent by mail.
Other wireless phone companies followed suit.
As public protests gained strength, the federal government introduced legislation in 2014 to stop telecom providers from charging subscribers to send paper bills.
The “pay-to-pay” issue was dead, I thought. But it popped up again this spring, with discount provider Koodo again leading the way.
As of May 1, the company said, customers would be notified when their bills were ready to be looked at online. That was their only billing option.
Koodo started making a transition to paperless e-bills in 2015, Telus spokesperson Jill Yetman told me.
“This is not only a simpler, more secure way for customers to quickly view bill details, but also reduces the impact we have on the environment,” she said.
“With e-bills, customers get monthly text and email alerts letting them know their balance and payment due date.
They can go to self serve to view full bill details, download or, if necessary, print past bills — up to 18 months.”
Koodo offers several bill formats for visually impaired customers, such as large print, Braille and unlimited built-in access to Canada’s video relay service (VRS).
Isn’t there a requirement not to charge customers for paper bills? Can Koodo get around this obligation by calling itself a paperless biller?
I sought advice from John Lawford, executive director and general counsel of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) in Ottawa. His nonprofit group was instrumental in lobbying for the new rules in 2014.
“If you get a paper bill, it has to be free,” Lawford said.
“But if they don’t provide them at all, you have no right to one on paper — whether paying or not.”
PIAC has asked Canada’s telecom regulator to clarify that wireless service providers must offer paper bills on request at no charge.
PIAC and its partner, the National Pensioners Federation (which represents one million seniors and retirees), point out that Koodo has discontinued paper billing. Clients can get a copy of an e-bill only by paying a $5 fee.
The company’s terms of service do not say that paper billing is unavailable, nor does its website mention this feature.
“We are concerned about the negative effects electronic billing will have on vulnerable and low-income consumers. This includes persons with disabilities, senior citizens, consumers living paycheque to paycheque and those who do not have the resources to take advantage of e-billing,” the two groups say.
These people are “profoundly disadvantaged” when their wireless carrier discontinues paper billing or informs them after purchase that it is not available. Their choice of service providers is limited to premium brands that still offer paper billing.
Paper bills give older customers the confidence to pay their service providers independently without relying on assistance from third parties to navigate and get access to the internet.
They also provide a permanent record for the service transaction, since they can be retrieved quickly. Searching for a history of bills is more difficult online, particularly for persons with lower digital literacy.
A few Koodo customers wrote to me about the May 1 change.
“I like paper bills since I find them easier to organize and I don’t go online that often,” Rawle Phillip said.
“Is there an allowance for paperless companies to get around the banning of those fees?”
Joe Simpson, a senior, said he tried to contact Koodo by phone to see if he could continue getting paper bills. “I was left no better informed than before my call,” he said.
Of the 50 public submissions I found onthe CRTC’s site, nearly all want to ensure that paper bills are available on request for those who want them.
“What happens if we’re locked out of our email account or the internet is down? We get slapped with a late fee,” said Sarah Gilbert.
“Also, bills drown in between other emails.”
Kelly Doucette said she refuses to create accounts online for phone companies, since they use personal information to bombard her with marketing emails and text messages.
“These tactics often cause overages in a user’s account and then we are charged for it. I believe their paperless idea is to increase the revenues they will derive from late payments, non-payments and cutoff/ reconnection fees,” Doucette said.
Greg Sheldon is selfemployed and needs a mobile phone for work. He has to keep paper records for seven years in case of a Canada Revenue Agency audit.
“Koodo has done nothing to save the trees. They have simply switched the onus to individuals to print out the records — something that was provided for in the contract we signed onto,” he said.
Carlo Iaboni said a paper statement is his preferred method of bill reconciliation.
“This is my right, my choice and, in my opinion, the most accurate way of conducting my personal finances.”
The application regarding paper billing by Koodo Mobile is open for comments until Friday. You can submit even a sentence or two online at the CRTC site.
“Koodo has done nothing to save the trees. They have simply switched the onus to individuals to print out the records.” GREG SHELDON SELF-EMPLOYED