Rogers, Telus and Bell Get One Last Shot to Defend Those $40 Device Fees

Looks like Bell, Rogers and Telus are down to their last written word on those new phone fees.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has given the three carriers until September 10, 2026 to file final replies in the show-cause case over device, SIM and shipping charges that landed after the national ban on switching fees took effect on June 12. Public comments closed August 31, so this week is their turn to explain why those line items should stay on the bill.

Bell still bills a $40 device-handling fee when you buy a phone with a plan. Telus added a $15 SIM or eSIM charge. Rogers stacked a $40 device setup fee, a $25 shipping charge and a SIM fee. CRTC staff had already flagged those as looking like switching barriers dressed up as optional product costs, not the kind of extras the ban leaves alone.

The companies tried to stall and reshape the probe in July. The Commission said no in mid-August, kept the file on paper, and reset the calendar. Quebecor and Freedom have already told the regulator they dropped those fees or never charged them, and that rivals should do the same.

Until the CRTC rules, none of the disputed fees have been struck down, so Bell, Rogers and Telus can keep charging them. If the Commission finds a violation, it can issue compliance orders and hit each company with administrative monetary penalties of up to $10 million per violation.

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