OTTAWA – The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today released its Telecom Sales Practices Report to the Federal Cabinet, vindicating the public’s concerns that too many Canadians have suffered misleading, aggressive and unsuitable telecom sales practices at the hands of major telecommunications providers and firmly stating that such practices are unacceptable and must change.
The Fair Communications Sales Coalition, whose members include the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), ACORN Canada (ACORN), National Pensioners Federation (NPF) and Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) today heralded the Report as a milestone for consumer protection in Internet, home phone, television and wireless sales that should improve Canadians interactions with companies
“Consumers told us that they were being misled, oversold and treated aggressively when they interacted with their telecom and TV service providers, whether at the door, on the phone, in a store or online,” said John Lawford, Co-Counsel to the FCSC. “We are extremely pleased that the CRTC believed those consumers and mapped out how to help,” he added.
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) had earlier requested for a public inquiry into reported inappropriate, aggressive and potentially misleading sales of telecommunications and related services. An inquiry was eventually conducted as a result of the intervention of the Federal Cabinet. The CRTC issued a “Notice of consultation – Report regarding the retail sales practices of Canada’s large telecommunications carriers” over the summer of 2018, asking for public’s input on their experiences with telecom sales. An online survey was also conducted, followed by a public hearing in October 2018.
Wanda Morris, Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of CARP, already looks forward to the promise for seniors of improved interactions with telecommunications and TV providers: “It will take some work to implement the CRTC’s suggestions but we urge the Federal Government to endorse this report and to ask the CRTC to finish the job of restoring the public’s trust in how they are sold these essential services.”
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ×25
jlawford@piac.ca
www.piac.ca
Wanda Morris
Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of CARP
(416) 607-2470
wanda@carp.ca