Telecoms Commission Claims Misleading or Aggressive Sales Practices by Some Service Providers

The CRTC says it has found evidence of misleading or aggressive sales practices among some of the country’s telecommunications service providers.

The Commission says, despite safeguards put in place by providers and governments, these practices occur “to an unacceptable degree.”

Overall, four in ten (40%) Canadians who responded to the online panel survey report having experienced sales practices by telecommunications companies in Canada that they consider to be aggressive or misleading, the majority of which report their most recent experience took place within the past year (60% of those who experienced these tactics or 24% of all Canadians).

– Ipsos Report

It says more can be done to protect consumers, and is taking action to ensure Canadians’ interaction with service providers is fair and respectful. The CRTC is looking at the creation of a mandatory Internet Code of Conduct, along with the creation of a secret shopper program to catch these nefarious practices in action.

Further solutions are being proposed by the CRTC including requiring service providers to offer trial periods consumers can bow out of should the service not meet expectation. The CRTC says it is also working on a way to streamline the handling of complaints of misleading or aggressive sales tactics.