Rogers Joins Telus In Seeking National Regulation

silentbrad writes "Canada's largest mobile service provider is urging the federal telecom regulator to implement a mandatory national consumer protection code (PDF; actual filing with the CRTC) in order to defuse the threat posed by a growing hotchpotch of provincial regulations for wireless services. Rogers Communications Inc. submitted that proposal to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in an application late Thursday. In doing so, Rogers becomes the second major carrier to ask the CRTC to resume active regulation of the terms and conditions for wireless service contracts, a practice it largely abandoned during the 1990s. Nonetheless, those regulatory powers, while latent, remain in the Telecommunications Act, meaning the CRTC can still exercise its authority over those matters."

Comments

Oooh

[symbolset]

When groups of incumbent telecom providers gather together to protect consumers, it's usually to protect consumers from the distraction of non-incumbent providers striving to provide superior and less expensive service.

Re:Oooh

[SeaFox]

Yup. They want a convenient one-stop-shop for all their politician-purchasing needs. Plus, it's more difficult to bribe local leaders who might personally be effected by the Telco's tyranny and have their own interest in seeing more competition.

Re:Oooh

[zill]

They want a convenient one-stop-shop for all their politician-purchasing needs.

"Purchasing" isn't exactly the right term here. The CRTC chairman was an Assistant Director at Bell and a President at Rogers. He's still technically working for Rogers and Bell, except at a fancier government office that's all.

It's all about the contracts

[canowhoopass.com]

Getting the cheap/free cellphone in Canada often involves signing up for long 3 year plan with huge penalties if you quit early.

I'm not sure of all the provinces, but I know that both Quebec and Manitoba have new laws in place requiring better contract disclosure and limiting those penalties.

• Manitoba's
• Quebec's

I suspect that Rogers and Telus are afraid the other provinces will enact the same or stronger legislation.

Re:It's all about the contracts

[realityimpaired]

Ontario has one up for debate with tri-party support in the legislature right now. While the specifics are different, the essentials are the same as the Manitoba law. One thing I'm particularly fond of is the changes to the early termination fees, which they're looking at turning into an extra charge on your monthly bill. Essentially like the Koodo Tab, only with it being a real charge on top of the monthly fees, so that when you're not on a contract, you pay less.

Rogers probably realizes they can't win this one. In the long run, every province will go this way. What they probably want is for the CRTC to enact a national policy so that they don't get stuck with the administrative hassle that is having 12 separate contract fee and termination structures.

Sounds delicious

[Anonymous Coward]

A "hotchpotch" is a mutton stew. Do you mean a "hodgepodge"? :-)
Lesson: Never edit when you're hungry :-)

Re:Surprising.

[Digital Vomit]

You're missing the fact that the CRTC is a captured regulator.