The CCTS report highlighted a “troubling increase” in problems with service cancellation and switching service providers.
Reports of being unable to cancel a service appeared in complaints 47% more often than the previous year, concerns about termination fees increased 35%, and complaints about being unable to transfer wireless or phone services to another provider increased by one-quarter. Maker called the trend a “head-scratcher.”
“Consumers are supposed to be able to switch simply, easily, no muss, no fuss, and it’s not happening,” he said. “I do not understand why this is such a big problem in the industry, but the numbers are not lying.”
Other complaints from Canadian customers
Other frequent complaints highlighted in the report were based on service performance problems, with customers continuing to raise issues about interruptions, slower than expected internet or wireless data speeds, poor audio quality or dropped phone calls.
But the Canadian Telecommunications Association cautioned that the increase in complaints did not necessarily indicate customers are growing less satisfied with their providers. Rather, it said customers are now more aware of the CCTS’s work than in past years thanks to recent awareness campaigns, while complaints could also be up due to changes by the commission meant to streamline the filing process.
“Despite this, the number of complaints remains relatively low, with the number of issues raised representing less than 0.08% of high-speed broadband and 0.05% of mobile phone subscribers in Canada,” said spokesman Nick Kyonka in a statement.
The association, which represents many carriers and manufacturers, said the report showed incidents of non-compliance of the Wireless Code were down for the fourth year in a row, and none of its members had more than a single Internet Code violation.
Which Canadian telecom company had the most complaints
Rogers accounted for more than 24% of all complaints accepted by the commission in the period included in its report, maintaining its position as the most complained-about service provider after overtaking Bell a year ago. With 4,855 complaints, Rogers saw an almost 68% increase in reports to the commission from its customers compared with a year earlier.
Bell had 3,430 complaints, or 17% of all gripes, up nearly 46% from the commission’s previous annual report. There were 2,757 complaints about Telus Corp., 13.7% of the total and up more than 53% from the previous year.
That ranking remained the same when combined with complaints by customers of the various subsidiary brands owned by the Big Three providers.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings