Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeTelecomCRTC calls on Bell, Rogers and Telus to justify new fees as ban on old fees comes into effect'Part of the Commission’s work is to ensure that service providers comply with existing consumer protections' You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Between May 6 and June 16, the CRTC learned that all three telecom companies allegedly had charged consumers various activation related fees, despite the ban. Photo by Brent Lewin/BloombergCanada’s “Big Three” telecommunications companies need to prove by July 30 that they’re not violating the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s new ban on activation and modification fees after the regulator learned that the telcos have introduced different fees.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe CRTC had established new consumer protections, which came into effect on June 12, that prohibit service providers from charging fees when Canadians choose to modify or cancel their cellphone and internet service plans.The regulator said in a notice on Thursday that it has launched a proceeding regarding alleged violations of the new order by BCE Inc.’s Bell Canada, Telus Communications Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“Part of the Commission’s work is to ensure that service providers comply with existing consumer protections,” it said. “The Commission recently became aware (the companies) have introduced fees that may be contrary to this prohibition.”It said CRTC staff on May 6 learned that Bell had introduced a $40 device-handling charge for customers purchasing a cellphone along with their wireless service, which Bell claims is not charged as a result of activating a new retail telecommunications service plan.The CRTC on June 12 asked Bell Canada whether it had ceased charging these fees after the new policy had come into effect, but Bell on June 17 confirmed that it would continue to apply the device-handling charge, which the company believes falls outside of the prohibition.Meanwhile, the CRTC learned on June 9 that Telus had started charging a $15 fee for the purchase of a SIM card or eSIM as part of its wireless service, which they said did not appear to fall under the exemption set out in the policy.The regulator on June 12 asked Telus whether it had ceased charging these fees, to which Telus responded on June 17 that it had not stopped charging a SIM card fee and it considered it to be compliant.Finally, CRTC staff learned on June 16 that Rogers had introduced several fees related to purchasing a device: a $40 device setup charge, a $25 shipping charge for devices ordered online and an unspecified SIM fee. After being asked whether it had ceased its practice, Rogers on June 18 responded to confirm that it had not stopped charging these fees because it considered them to be compliant.Rogers said the $40 device setup charge, which it said is tied to the optional purchase of a device, is not related to the activation or modification of a service plan, nor is its main purpose to discourage subscribers from modifying or cancelling their service plan.It said the SIM fee is not new and has been charged for many years from customers who request a new physical SIM card to replace a lost or damaged one. Rogers said the shipping fee has been charged periodically for many years and is a standard charge that reflects the real cost of delivery.The three telecom companies must make submissions to the CRTC addressing the issues by July 30 and reply to matters raised during the intervention phase by Aug. 10.If the companies are found to have committed a violation, they are individually liable administrative monetary penalties not exceeding $10,000,000 for the companies and not exceeding $25,000 for their relevant officers or directors. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.