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PIAC calls for a halt to Bell’s rebate hustle
An Ottawa-based consumer group wants to hold Bell Canada to account over its plan to convert rebates into new two-year contracts.
“We are writing with regard the marketing campaign recently launched by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant to dispose of part of the funds in their deferral accounts. This campaign offends consumers, violates the Commission’s directives, and should be stopped,” Michael Janigan, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre wrote to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission today.
On Aug. 31 the CRTC ordered the Bell companies to rebate $250 million to the consumers who had paid into the “deferral accounts”. About two weeks ago Bell sent this group a letter offering to credit the money against new services.
“The Bell companies’ attempt to use consumers’ own money to bind them to long term service commitments is inappropriate and must not be sanctioned,” Janigan writes.
Download the Nov. 29, 2010 PIAC letter to the CRTC here: deferral_account_rebates_crtc_letter_nov_26.pdf [size: 0.08 mb]
