Bell, Rogers and Telus aren’t backing down on a handful of new cellphone fees, even after Canada’s telecom regulator warned the charges might be illegal, according to a report from The Globe and Mail, summarizing the latest replies from carriers.
In letters filed with the CRTC on Wednesday, all three carriers confirmed they plan to keep collecting the fees. Bell and Rogers have introduced $40 device handling charges, while Telus has rolled out a $15 SIM card fee.
The dispute goes back to a new policy that took effect last Friday, banning telecoms from charging fees that discourage customers from switching providers. The carriers argue their charges fall under an exemption for optional services, but the CRTC has already said the fees “do not appear” to qualify, and has asked each company to justify them or risk compliance action.
Bell’s assistant general counsel Philippe Gauvin defended the $40 device fee, saying it “is distinct from the activation or modification of a wireless service plan, recovers legitimate device fulfillment costs, and does not discourage customers from switching or modifying plans.”
Telus chief regulatory legal counsel Stephen Schmidt argued the company’s $15 SIM charge isn’t a fee at all. “The purpose of the amendments to the act is to prohibit junk fees, not to prohibit carriers from charging for goods and services. The commission’s definition ought to be read in this context,” he said.
Rogers vice-president of regulatory affairs Howard Slawner made a similar case for the company’s $40 device setup charge, saying “the charge is clearly related to the optional device purchase and not a consequence of an activation or modification of a telecommunications service.” Rogers also said two other fees flagged by the CRTC, a $25 shipping charge and an unspecified SIM fee, aren’t new and aren’t tied to activation.
The CRTC didn’t say what its next move will be, but with all three carriers holding firm, it’s setting up a real test of how far the new switching rules actually go, and how far the regulator will go to actually send a message to telecoms.
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If the “fees” are REQUIRED, why doesn’t the Apple Store charge a device handling fee? Also new iPhones don’t even have SIM cards?
Boot them out. It is a nightmare dealng with SHAW/R0GERS. I am on the phone with them 4 hours a week.
I sued them & part of the mediation settlement was to get me money by Friday the 13th of February. I got it, but 3 weeks late, so I get to keep it AND my original $20000 claim’s stays open – hearing in July & I can’t wait!
I love the stories people tell for upvotes…
Give it time…
Apple is a manufacturer of the device, not a carrier. Although Apple phones don’t use physical SIM cards anymore, they still use an e sim which is provided by the carrier. A phone can’t work without a sim.
Found the corporate bootlicker
Charging people for a DIGITAL token to access their network while also charging a monthly fee is garbage.
it’s a money grab through and through.
charging for a physical SIM card is one thing but for an eSIM? That’s garbage.
It’s like the Nuremberg trials for the big telecoms. “Shipping charges have nothing to do with activation.” 🤦🏻
Are there any other tel companies in Canada except Rogers, Telus and Bell? 🙂
There’s Quebecor (Videotron/Freedom/Fizz) and SaskTel in Saskatchewan.
As well as Eastlink (Primarily East Coast) and Ice Wireless (Northern Canada)
Simply disgusting. Zero respect for any of these providers – chase the mighty buck and ROI for sharehders at the expense of customers.
Its time to open up the market allow more companies to move in See how fast they change their mind..Canadians are paying are way too much
It’s not going happen.
As true as that is, remember, when Rogers bought Shaw they thought they could get away with also owning Freedom. CRTC at least did something about that quickly. When Rogers bought Shaw they were forced to sell Freedom to Quebecor. It’s a start but we still need more competition.
Morons who keep wanting to believe leprechauns are real also believe the CRTC is on the side of consumers.
Lots of retarded reading and voting believe this to be true, Jimmy. Can’t change their mind.
Too real of a comment for the majority of iPhone in Canada readers!
Nothing but greed , this is not recovering cost but increasing profit. Rogers couldn’t care less about customers, it’s profit only and if they can take your money and you end up in a tent theyll do it every time . There are plenty of lambs nicely herded at the front door.
How many people are willing to shut their phones down for a week to express their frustration? Less than 1% would be my best guess. I could and I would for the greater good. Sadly theres probably only like 6 other people in the country willing to do the same. As always, we’re a shut up and take it up … … Country so it is what it is. How free are y’all feeling? 🙄😳✌️
It is recovering lost because FREEDOM MOBILE is hurting there bottom line 👏👏👏
Without customers there is no profit.
The lambs are suddenly looking at new options like Fizz mobile, a sister to Freedom mobile.
Thanks Quebecor for trying your best to add some competition but we still need more. (Fizz Mobile is a lot like Bell’s Lucky & a few others)
Enshitification continues to win. Keep degrading services for the shareholder.
Bell has been nothing but up front with us for TV Internet and cell. Lowest price out of all of them. Only provider that works in my area without failing. So if they are charging alittle extra its very worth it!!
This is fucked up. I was in wireless. So none of this is any threat. They are forcing the hand at no more people doing the handling. The fee they charge is for you to deal with a human. Your God given right. However that person requires a commission cus the company only makes 500 to a grand per renewal or activation charge per year. Not including the remaining money they make. If you think that people handling your phones isn’t important keep fighting this. Or leave it the fuck alone. I get the CRTC is involved but if you want to protect jobs in Canada shut up.
I would agree, if companies like Rogers and Bell still hired actual Canadians. They now outsource their support. Ex employee speaking.
Cry harder
Look up how Canada ranks internationally wrt cellular costs. We are some of the most expensive in the world. They can all afford to pay employees. Stop being so damn socialist and open your eyes.
I always say that who has a license for business are thieves the only way to deal with it is to boycott
The crct needs to open the market wide open. Let T-Mobile move in. The only problem is the infrastructure is owned by these major telecoms. If you go to any of the other companies they still use these companies infrastructure. There’s no way out of this they got us by the the⚽⚾
At this point, Bell, Rogers, and Telus are pretty much confirming that they’re colluding as oligopolies. I suppose we already knew that, given their history of being in lockstep on price increases.
That said, charging additional fees to join your network seems a bit counterintuitive. If I see a bunch of $40/month plans I like, but two of them want to charge an additional $40 fee for phone activations, one wants to charge $15 for sim activations, and another charges none of that, I’m going with the one that isn’t charging me extra fees.
So little intelligence here or simply ignorance. My guess it’s probably both. Your interpretation of collusion is not even close to the legal definition. If you want any glimmer of change, write to your MP. Otherwise, posting in the comments section is nonsense and posting for engagement isn’t going to change anything.
The comments section is wild as ever with NPCs and others suffering from toxic optimism and downvoting anyone with a neurodivergent mindset.
fine each and every one of them $500,000 a month until the fees are gone
Revoke their licenses.
It’s honestly amazing how much people in Canada complain about paying for something they can’t put down for 5 minutes.
You spend $20 on a movie for 2 hours of entertainment.
$60 on a nice meal out.
$5 on your morning coffee.
But spending less than ~$3.50/day on something that’s practically glued to your f***ing hand is somehow outrageous?
What is a reasonable price to pay for something you use for 50-90% of your waking hours?
You want a cheap plan? Get a $15 talk and text plan.
You want the convenience of being able to use your phone practically anywhere and anytime without connecting to sh***y wifi? Spend less than a cup of coffee a day on a data plan.
Shop smarter and you won’t pay $150/month for your plan. Don’t want to pay device charges? Get your phone directly from the manufacturer. You have options that don’t require you to pay out of your @$$, with all of the carriers you love to hate.