Will new CRTC rules truly lead to lower bills? - BERITAJA

Every mates of years, Marc Nanni makes a telephone to his location net supplier to spot if he could find immoderate savings connected his monthly bill.

Unexpected charges ever look to adhd up wrong that clip frame, he says, whether it’s a “system access” interest present aliases a “basic service” interest there.

Nanni’s efforts are usually capable to people a fistful of rebates — he estimates he’s negotiated $35 worthy of charges waived from his existent measure — but the Gatineau, Que., man still doesn’t cognize what those charges were meant for successful the first place.

“They benignant of monkey the prices. There’s $2 for this, $2 for that,” he said.

“They’re dinging you pinch these fabricated fees.”

Eliminating definite “junk fees” is 1 of respective measures precocious introduced by Canada’s telecommunications regulator, pinch much to come, arsenic it attempts to trim barriers it says person agelong stood successful the measurement of consumers seeking cheaper cellphone and net plans. New user protections for the assemblage had been required arsenic portion of caller legislative amendments by the national government.

While immoderate opportunity it’s a invited step, others mobility whether the moves will really lead to meaningful savings for Canadians, particularly arsenic awesome telecom companies push backmost connected the caller regulations.

In summation to a prohibition connected activation, cancellation and modification fees that came into effect June 12, the CRTC has implemented rules that springiness consumers self-serve options to set their plans and instruction work providers to notify customers erstwhile a discount connected their measure is about to expire.

The committee is besides readying to soon denote guidelines that would require carriers to publicize cardinal accusation about their location net plans — specified arsenic value and velocity — done a standardized label.

“What we’re trying to do is make it easier and to facilitate consumers shopping about for their telecom services,” said Scott Hutton, the CRTC’s vice-president of consumer, analytics and strategy, successful an interview.

“Canadians are tired of being nickel-and-dimed.”

He said that while costs person been coming down complete the past 5 years, Canadians are still paying “amongst the highest prices successful the world for some cellphone and location net services.” Compounding that problem, the regulator said it recovered from its outreach that consumers stock a communal sentiment that it could beryllium excessively difficult to move providers, keeping them locked into plans moreover erstwhile location are better, discounted offers connected the market.

“I don’t cognize of a Canadian who’s not disappointment pinch their telecom bill,” Hutton said.

The moves are encouraging, said PlanHub.ca co-founder and CEO Nadir Marcos, whose level helps shoppers comparison offers crossed telecom providers.

Marcos said consumers whitethorn beryllium unaware of options that could thief little their bills, recalling a customer who hadn’t changed plans successful a decade and was paying about 10 times the value of existent marketplace offers. But calling customer work to make a alteration could beryllium an arduous process; it’s not uncommon to walk hours connected clasp earlier yet getting through.

That’s why the caller self-service and notification requirements could beryllium a “game changer,” he said.

“I deliberation group conscionable hide to shop,” said Marcos.

“Just being proactive and getting matter messages erstwhile the promotion’s vanished will thief for judge to make the user aware.”

He’s besides hopeful these changes could create a concatenation guidance successful the marketplace. While galore promotions are only disposable to caller customers, Marcos said accrued title could punctual providers to connection amended deals to existing customers excessively arsenic portion of their retention efforts.

However, immoderate of the caller regulations person been met pinch guidance from awesome players successful Canada’s telecom sector.

Earlier this month, the CRTC issued warnings to Bell Canada, Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc. aft each introduced fees that the regulator says could break its caller prohibition connected ancillary charges.

The companies each reason those circumstantial fees, which scope successful explanation from instrumentality “handling” aliases “setup” to SIM purchase, should suffice for exemptions to the CRTC’s argumentation meant for optional services aliases equipment. They besides said the charges service a intent — recovering their ain costs.

“It costs money to activate a customer,” said telecommunications advisor Mark Goldberg.

“There’s costs of resources, the duty of a telephone number, the guidance of that. There’s costs associated pinch activating a caller instrumentality and loading up the database, costs associated pinch moving in installments checks.”

Goldberg questioned whether banning activation and cancellation fees would genuinely prevention consumers money astatine the extremity of the day. For the providers, he said “that money has to travel from somewhere” successful bid to support profits.

“Where do the legislators and the CRTC deliberation the money’s going to travel from? Does it mean that discounts are lower, that the wide monthly complaint is simply a small spot higher?” he said.

“You’re yet loading each of the costs betterment into the monthly bill.”

National Bank expert Adam Shine said the elimination of “so-called junk fees” comes arsenic nary surprise.

“Still, the carriers do person costs progressive pinch the provisioning of devices and mounting up of accounts,” Shine said successful a statement published earlier this month.

TD Cowen expert Vince Valentini estimated mislaid gross from the elimination of those fees could full $50 cardinal to $75 cardinal per year.

And pinch the CRTC appearing “unwilling to budge connected its position” to region those charges, the manufacture could look to switch that gross watercourse pinch higher guidelines monthly complaint plans, Valentini said successful a June 18 note.

Hutton acknowledged that likelihood, but he said higher prices upfront astatine slightest supply much transparency, while perchance encouraging competition.

“If you person to summation your prices truthful beryllium it, but do that done the beforehand door. Charge a price, don’t astonishment consumers pinch value increases successful the mediate of the contract, don’t person these typical small fees that travel retired of nowhere,” he said.

“Canadians request to shop around. So sending a clear message, cancelling your service, going pinch different provider, exercising your user authorities are really that will occur.”

For Nanni, the CRTC’s guidance is simply a bully start, but he feels location is still a agelong measurement to spell erstwhile it comes to empowering consumers, particularly those little proactive than him.

He said stronger restrictions connected what fees providers could complaint could thief the regulator debar playing “whack-a-mole” arsenic acold arsenic enforcement.

“I mean, you’re getting dinged pinch fees that group ne'er saw before,” said Nanni.

This study by BERITAJA was first published June 28, 2026.

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