You Have Until Monday to Tell the CRTC Those Phone Fees Should Go

Canadians who want the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to hear them on the new Bell, Rogers and Telus phone fees have until Monday, August 31 to file a comment.

The deadline is 5 p.m. Pacific time, 8 p.m. in the East. After that, the record closes to the public and the three carriers get the last written word in September.

The case is about whether setup, device-handling and SIM charges break the national ban on fees that make it harder to switch or cancel a plan. That ban landed in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2026-43 after the CRTC killed the old $80 connection fee.

Bell rolled out a $40 device-handling fee on phones bought with a plan. Telus added a $15 SIM or eSIM charge. Rogers brought in a $40 device setup fee, a $25 shipping charge and a SIM fee. CRTC staff have already said those charges do not appear to qualify as optional extras.

The three companies tried to stall the probe. The Commission said no, which we covered when the CRTC rejected Bell, Rogers and Telus attempts to split the file and sideline staff. Deadlines that were paused in late July are now back on, so interventions are due Monday and carrier replies come in September.

People who paid the $40 device fee or the $15 SIM charge and just want the rule enforced as written still have until Monday at 5 p.m. Pacific to say so without hiring a lawyer, and they can file online through the CRTC’s public proceedings page by hitting Submit on the notice, or use the how-to-participate guide.

You can also mail the Secretary General, CRTC, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0N2, or fax 819-994-0218. The hearings desk is at he*****@*****gc.ca if the form fights you.

Bell, Rogers and Telus still face possible compliance orders and fines of up to $10 million per violation if the Commission finds they broke the switching-fee ban.

The file is Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2026-155-2.