Complaints to CCTS decrease by 12 per cent

Consumers lodged 8,621 complaints with the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) in the six months leading up to Jan. 31, a 12 per cent decrease on the previous year. The decrease, detailed in the CCTS’ mid-year report released Tuesday, follows two years where the number of complaints had risen significantly, by 44 per cent in 2018-19, and 73 per cent in 2017-18. The result was hailed as a “step in the right direction” by CCTS commissioner Howard Maker in a press release, who said he was pleased customers were increasingly able to fix their problems directly with their service providers. “These pre-pandemic statistical results indicate that some service providers are paying attention to the issues brought to us by their customers and adjusting the way they do business,” Maker said. Consumers raised 23,839 issues in the 8,621 accepted complaints between Aug. 1 and Jan. 31, with 44.2 per cent of issues about wireless service, 26.5 per cent about internet, 14.5 per cent about TV and 13.5 per cent about landline service. Disclosure was the most complained about specific issue, with consumers raising it with the CCTS 3,303 times, representing 13.9 per cent of all issues raised. Concerns about incorrect charges were raised with the CCTS 2,829 times, totalling 11.9 per cent of all issues. CCTS confirmed 54 breaches during the six-month period, with 46 of those breaching the Wireless Code, five breaching the Television Service Provider Code, with a further three breaching the Deposit and Disconnection Code. The CCTS monitors all four of the CRTC’s codes of conduct, with the Internet Code coming into effect at the end of the reporting period on Jan. 31. Eighteen of those wireless breaches related to notice given before service disconnection, while 11 breached section E of the code, which relates to bill management. BCE Inc. was again the most complained about telecom despite the number of complaints about it dropping by 26 per cent compared to 2018-19, with 2,235 lodged in 2019-20, representing 25.9 per cent of all complaints. Its flanker brand Virgin Mobile received 6.5 per cent of complaints. Complaints about Rogers Communications Inc. made up 11.2 per cent of all lodged with the CCTS, while its flanker brand Fido received the fourth most at 7.5 per cent. Telus Corp. (8.1 per cent of all complaints) was the third most complained about, while its flanker brand Koodo received the ninth most, with 3.7 per cent of all complaints about it.

Complaints to CCTS decrease by 12 per cent

Brief | May 12, 2020

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Complaints to CCTS decrease by 12 per cent

Brief | May 12, 2020

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