The number of complaints from Canadian consumers about their telecommunications services increased by 43% by the end of 2023, a situation described as “concerning” by the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS).
The organization, which is releasing its half-yearly report this Thursday covering the period from 1er August 2023 to January 31, 2024, notes that Rogers is the subject of an unprecedented number of complaints, 2,820 out of a total of 10,663 complaints accepted. For Rogers, this represents an increase of 118% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The company has been in first position on this dubious list for a year, dislodging Bell. However, the latter also had a bad semester with 1,748 complaints, an increase of 58%.
Telus, in third place, was targeted by 1,437 complaints, an increase of 48% compared to the previous year.
Incorrect wireless services and charges
As in previous reports, it is wireless services that are most often the source of consumer dissatisfaction. Of the 19,879 issues raised – one complaint can reveal multiple issues – 51% are related to wireless services. All categories saw an increase in the number of problems raised, from 25% for local telephony to 75% for television.
If we examine the nature of the problems raised, it is “incorrect charges” and “disclosure problems” which are most often mentioned, accounting for 28% of cases. In terms of increase compared to the previous year, however, it is the complaint of “regular increase in the prices of monthly packages” which wins the prize, the 1077 problems representing an increase of 476% in one year.
The CCTS also found seven violations of the Wireless Services Code. In four cases, the supplier “failed to give reasonable notice to the customer at least 14 calendar days before disconnection or 24 hours before disconnection.”
On a more positive side, the CCTS notes that 91% of the complaints it handled were resolved to the consumer’s satisfaction, “most in less than 20 days.” Out of 445 service providers who joined the CCTS, 298 did not generate any complaints. The five most frequently targeted suppliers alone are responsible for 71% of complaints.
The portrait drawn up by the CCTS is, however, incomplete, firstly because it is difficult to compare 445 suppliers of very different sizes. A survey conducted for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in December 2022 also revealed that only 6% of complaints were filed with the provider and the CCTS, which constitutes the basis on which the organization establishes its reports. However, these allow rigorous comparisons from one year to the next.
reference: www.lapresse.ca