Saturday 11 May 2019

'Makes me angry': Big telcos' $10 service fees concern wireless customers and the CRTC

https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies





Replying to and 47 others
Methinks they are going have a tough time figuring out how to handle me Sophia Harris or anyone else can Google two names David Amos Martine Turcotte to see why N'esy Pas? 


 https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/05/makes-me-angry-big-telcos-10-service.html


 


https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/10-fee-customer-service-calls-crtc-fido-koodo-bell-1.5130950



'Makes me angry': Big telcos' $10 service fees concern wireless customers and the CRTC




759 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.



Michael G. L. Geraldson
I swear that the telcos have departments whose sole purpose is to figure out new ways to gouge customers.


David R. Amos
Reply to @Michael G. L. Geraldson: Methinks they are going have a tough time figuring out how to handle me Sophia Harris or anyone else can Google two names David Amos Martine Turcotte to see why N'esy Pas? 












Jerry Jordan
the crtc is totally useless.....all telecommunications needs to be directly under a minister of the government . every second week or so there is a complaint about the major players gouging their customers in one way or another. the big boys like rogers and bell can run roughshod over its customers anytime they want and there is nothing to protect them. the crtc is a third party just to deflect and protect the government of the day. the crtc also has absolutely no teeth in the matter.


David R. Amos
Reply to @Jerry jordan: "the crtc is totally useless"

YUP and many politicians know that I made it a point to prove it long ago.


David R. Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @David R. Amos: 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CRTC DONOTRESPOND/NEPASREPONDRE
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2017 10:30 AM
To: David Raymond Amos
Subject: CRTC Reference: 770193

Good morning Mr. Amos:

Further to your correspondence of May 19th, and after an extensive
review of the other issues you have raised, we have concluded that we
do not have jurisdiction over these matters.

Therefore, we consider all matters you have previously contacted this
office about to be closed. Please note that we will no longer respond
to any correspondence from you on these subjects.

Sincerely,

Chantal Proulx
Client Services | Services à la clientèle
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission | Conseil
de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0N2
Telephone | Téléphone 1-877-249-2782 / TTY | ATS 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)
Outside Canada | Hors Canada 819-997-0313 / TTY | ATS 819-994-0423
Facsimile / Télécopieur 819-994-0218
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
http://www.crtc.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/CRTCeng | Suivez-nous sur
Twitter (@CRTCfra): https://twitter.com/CRTCfra
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crtceng | Aimez-nous sur
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/crtcfra « less


David R. Amos
Reply to @David R. Amos: Methinks I sang about CBC's sudden fit of integrity too quickly N'esy Pas/














George Myles
What a joke. For how many years have we all complained about the toothless oversight of the CRTC?


David R. Amos 
Reply to @George Myles: I have been pointing it out since 2004


David R. Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @David R. Amos:

I must Say I am rather impressed at CBC's sudden fit of Integrity to allow my posts to stand the test of time for a few hours at least. (: Rest assured that I have been saving digital snapshots just in case they delete and block me as usual :)

In return here is an old scoop about CTV that CBC and everybody else and his dog has been ignoring for 15 very long years after I ran in the election of the 38th Parliament against the aptly named lawyer Rob Moore.

http://thedavidamosrant.blogspot.ca/2013/08/re-bce-and-jean-pierre-blais-of-crtc.html

----- Original Message -----
From: martine.turcotte@bell.ca
To: motomaniac_02186@hotmail.com
Cc: bcecomms@bce.ca ; W-Five@ctv.ca
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2004 9:28 AM
Subject: RE: I am curious

Mr. Amos, I confirm that I have received your documentation. There is
no need to send us a hard copy. As you have said yourself, the
documentation is very voluminous and after 3 days, we are still in the
process of printing it. I have asked one of my lawyers to review it
in my absence and report back to me upon my return in the office. We
will then provide you with a reply.

Martine Turcotte
Chief Legal Officer / Chef principal du service juridique
BCE Inc. / Bell Canada
1000 de La Gauchetière ouest, bureau 3700
Montréal (Qc) H3B 4Y7

Tel: (514) 870-4637
Fax: (514) 870-4877
email: martine.turcotte@bell.ca

Executive Assistant / Assistante à la haute direction: Diane Valade
Tel: (514) 870-4638
email: diane.valade@bell.ca



David R. Amos
Reply to @David R. Amos: Go Figure

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fundy-royal-riding-profile-1.3274276

















Helen Innamorato
Every other week, there is another CBC story on Rogers or Bell et. al. and their outrageous greed and abuse. It would be nice if CBC did a story on the real culprit which is the CRTC. Why is it so ineffective? Who is accountable? Who appoints these people? Are they impartial? etc. etc.
Even in this story .... what right does the CRTC have to not disclose to CBC News precisely how their practices may violate the code.
The CRTC needs to be revamped and must be transparent to the public



David R. Amos  
Reply to @helen innamorato: "The CRTC needs to be revamped and must be transparent to the public"

YUP












James Holden
We need a new agency to replace the CRTC.
It's primary function should be to protect consumers from telcos.
It needs to have sweeping powers of punishment for bad corporate behavior.
It should have no revolving door board members. No one who has ever worked in middle to upper management in telcos would be eligible.



David R. Amos   
Reply to @James Holden: "We need a new agency to replace the CRTC."

Methinks many would agree that the CRTC merely needs to learn how to uphold its mandate N'esy Pas?












Patrick Nugent
Sounds like some more price collusion starting.


David R. Amos    
Reply to @Patrick Nugent: YUP














Alain Le Brun
Pro tip: buy your own phone and just get the service from the provider of your choice. Then when there is a disagreement over something (a charge) you threaten to walk to another provider. That changes their attitude quick and charges disappear.

As long as you allow them to finance your phone via a 2 year contract, you are allowing them to keep their fingers in your pocket with little ability to force them to correct for random adventures in profiting on your back.

So: Get on top: bring your own phone.

(Pro tip 2: keep your phones for 4 - 5 years).



David R. Amos    
Reply to @Alain Le Brun: "Pro tip: buy your own phone"

Of Course 
 










Dan Chanos
THIS makes the top story on CBC yet I can’t find anywhere the story on Bombardier accused of corruption in Azerbaijan from the World Bank.


David R. Amos   
Reply to @Dan Chanos: Methinks this topic is of interest to a far greater number of folks for obvious reasons N'esy Pas?














Alex Johnston
The telcos have invented a new concept.

They believe that a contract is somehow separate from the money.

They'll say, "Yes, there's a year left on your contract, but we're now raising the monthly price on you."

Government is failing to control these bas74&0$.



David R. Amos   
Reply to @Alex Johnston: Methinks you have a very interesting name N'esy Pas?













Johnathan Wilcox
The CRTC is the biggest scam of all.Johnathan Wilcox


David R. Amos  
Reply to @Johnathan Wilcox: YUP


David R. Amos 
Reply to @Johnathan Wilcox: I have talked to Consumer advocate John Lawford Trust that he is pretty good at playing dumb







'Makes me angry': Big telcos' $10 service fees concern wireless customers and the CRTC

Fido joins Koodo and Bell in charging $10 when customers call to make certain account transactions


Fido customer Mary Marks of Montreal says the $10 charge for some account transactions made over the phone is unfair. (Mary Marks)


Canada's telecom regulator has joined angry customers in questioning the growing number of fees that wireless providers charge when people call customer service to make changes to their account.

The telcos' goal is to encourage customers to instead make their own changes online — using the free, self-serve option.

But the plan may backfire as customers who prefer the human touch, and the CRTC, raise concerns over the fees.


"It's a scam," said Fido customer Paul Doroshenko of Vancouver.

Starting on May 14, Fido, which is owned by Rogers, will charge $10 when customers call to request certain account transactions that can be done online. They include making a payment, updating contact information or one's payment method, and resetting a voicemail password.

"They're making so much money on me every month … and then they want to charge $10 for a simple service call?" said Doroshenko, whose preference is to call customer service rather than make changes online.


Fido used to be better. Fido once won the JD Power award for customer care. Nickel and diming your customer assures that Fido won’t win that award again.
Hey Zdravko, we'll still be here to help our customers! The fee only applies to a few transactions that can be easily completed through self-serve, find out more here: http://fido.ca/charges .. -Claudia



Rogers told CBC News that the "vast majority" of Fido customers already use its free online services, which allow them to easily manage their accounts at their convenience.

"As more Canadians choose self-serve options to manage their day-to-day needs, we're continually investing in digital services to give customers more control," spokesperson Bill Killorn said in an email.
Last August, the Rogers discount brand chatr began charging a similar $5 fee, and on May 2, Bell and its discount brand Virgin Mobile began charging $10 when customers call to change their rate plan or data package before their billing cycle is up.

Similar to Fido, Telus's discount brand, Koodo, charges $10 for various account changes when done over the phone. Telus didn't say when Koodo started charging the fee.

Telus and Bell's main brands also charge fees for a few different account changes when customers call in.

Customers can also do all these transactions online themselves, for free.

CRTC steps in


The growing list of service fees has raised eyebrows at the CRTC. Last month, the telecom regulator sent a letter to providers stating that it is "concerned that the practice may be inconsistent" with the Wireless Code — the mandatory code of conduct for wireless companies.

The CRTC wouldn't tell CBC News precisely how the practice may violate the code, but its letter asks companies charging the fees to provide details, including how customers are informed about them.
Rogers, Bell and Telus each told CBC News that their fees comply with the Wireless Code.


John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, suggests the CRTC is taking action on service fees because it has likely received many complaints from customers. (CBC)

Consumer advocate John Lawford suggests the CRTC is stepping in because it has likely received many customer complaints about the fees.

"I think people were complaining in big numbers and fairly loudly because it seemed to them to be contrary to fairness and what they expected from a company," said Lawford, executive director of the Ottawa-based Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).

"It should be a cost of doing business."

What about my contract?


Mary Marks of Montreal believes the new Fido fees are unfair. She signed up her husband with Fido years ago and manages her family's phone plans.

"I can do anything online; it's not a problem," she said. "But I like to call in."

The $10 charge isn't mentioned in the contract, she said.

"It's a change of contract. Do I have a choice about it? Do I not? None of this has been explained."
The Wireless Code states that providers can't change key terms in a contract without a customer's consent, and that all one-time fees must be spelled out.

In its CRTC submission, Rogers said account transaction charges don't need to be disclosed in a contract because they're simply "administrative fees" that apply only at certain times to certain customers.


Rogers, Bell and Telus each say customers are made aware of fees charged for certain account transactions done over the phone. (iStock)

Rogers, Bell and Telus each said in their submissions that they inform customers about the fees in various ways, including on their website and over the phone when customers make a request that will cost them.

"Our full disclosure of all fees is always in compliance with the Wireless Code," Bell spokesperson Nathan Gibson said in an email.

The three big telcos also said the fee can be waived for certain individuals, such as someone with special needs, and that customers are never charged when they call to simply request information.

End of paper billing?


The CRTC is also scrutinizing another service that wireless providers increasingly want customers to solely access online: their bills.

In June, PIAC and a seniors group filed a complaint with the CRTC after Koodo stopped mailing customers paper bills.

The CRTC has yet to rule on the matter.

Meanwhile, Telus went paperless in November and Fido followed suit last month.


The right to paper bills for wireless service is another issue the CRTC has yet to rule on. (Samuel Martin/CBC)

Telus told CBC News its customers can still request a paper bill. Rogers said Fido is investing in online services to better serve its customers, and that it is happy to work with those concerned about moving to online billing.

Customer Paul Doroshenko says he got nowhere when he complained to Fido about the end of his paper bills. The criminal lawyer runs his own law practice and said the bill's arrival by mail every month helped him keep track of one of his many business expenses.

"It makes me angry," Doroshenko said of the end of paper bills and the coming $10 fee.

"There's so little service being provided."

About the Author


Sophia Harris
Business reporter
Sophia Harris has worked as a CBC video journalist across the country, covering everything from the start of the annual lobster fishery in Yarmouth, N.S., to farming in Saskatchewan. She now has found a good home at the business unit in Toronto. Contact: sophia.harris@cbc.ca


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