June 3 is Cell Phone Freedom Day, 3-Year Contracts Effectively Come to an End in Canada

Wednesday, June 3, 2015 is Cell Phone Freedom Day in Canada. Any existing three year contracts which have been running for 24 months or longer can be cancelled without any penalties.

Not only will Canadians see an effective end to three year contracts in Canada, but customers will also get all of the protections introduced by the Cell Phone Code of Conduct. Here is a list of some of the new protections included in the code of conduct:

– Caps on data and roaming charges to avoid “bill shock”, including a $100 cap when using wireless data abroad, and a $50 cap on wireless data overage charges in Canada. Telecom providers will need to get your express consent before charging you anything more than these amounts.

– You’ll have the right to unlock your phone 90 days after purchase. Unlocking your phone enables you to use it on other networks – including networks in other countries. This can really save you money when travelling abroad or moving to a different provider.

– Your contract must be written in clear language. No more legalese (or at least, less legalese).

– Finally, if you’re not happy with your service you can return your phone within 15 days with no penalty.

If you signed a three year contract between June 3, 2013 and December 2, 2013 (which means you haven’t had the contract for a full 24 months), you may have to pay a small cancellation fee which is determined through a formula created by the CRTC. If you fall into this group of people, you can find out more about the possible cancellation fees from this document.

Check out the following video of the real insane things that Big Telecom executives have said during the hearings that would determine the future of customer protection rules in Canada:

Will you be cancelling out of your three year contract on June 3? Let us know in the comments below.

[via Open Media]