CRTC Deferral Account: What Consumers Want

On February 16, 2006, in Decision Telecom 2006-9, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ruled that over $650 million dollars of telephone subscriber fees that had been raised by officially sanctioned higher rates for telephone service should be spent by incumbent phone companies like Bell, Aliant, Sasktel and TELUS should be used to build high-speed Internet connections to rural and remote areas and to improve access for persons with disabilities, despite arguments by PIAC and others that the money should be rebated to consumers.

Do you think the money in the deferral accounts should go towards:

Rebating Consumers? Building broadband Internet services to rural and remote areas? Improved access to telecommunications for persons with disabilities? Improving other telecommunications services such as 911/E911? Allowing the incumbent phone companies to freely spend the money? Allowing competing telephone companies to use the money to improve their services? All of the above? None of the above?

Do you think that consumer groups should appeal the CRTC decision?

Yes No

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