Big Telecom's bad sales practices

Details: Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00; Written by editor

OpenMedia r1

Are your... Internet speeds not as fast as promised? Are you still being gouged on data overages despite assurances from your provider they’d dealt with it? Have you had bill shock only to look it over and see you're being charged for a service you didn’t ask for?

Not only do people in Canada pay some of the highest mobile bills in the world,1 with home Internet not far behind, but when they call in to their communications providers, many deal with misleading and unfair sales practices.

Reports of these tactics at Bell and Rogers have gotten so bad 2, 3 that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is investigating.4 And they want to hear from you: Have you experienced unfair sales practices firsthand?

WHAT'S YOUR STORY?

Use our tool now and share your shady Big Telecom sales experiences with the CRTC to help stop these bad sales practices – for good!

If enough stories of bad sales practices are put on the public record, the CRTC will have no choice but to force Big Telecom to treat people fairly and with the respect they deserve.

We only have a few weeks to get public voices on the record, so please speak out now!

While this affects everyone, it’s vulnerable Canadians who bear the brunt of these unfair tactics. Investigations reveal older and disadvantaged people in Canada often don’t understand the details of what they’re being sold and are manipulated and misled.5, 6

SPEAK OUT

You shouldn’t need a degree in telecommunications to avoid being taken advantage of by your phone or Internet company.

Thanks for telling your story. Together we can put an end to these unfair tactics once and for all.

—Katy, on behalf of the OpenMedia team

P.S. Our work at OpenMedia relies on the small gifts and contributions from people in Canada just like you. Will you chip in and help fuel our work?

Footnotes
[1] Why Canadian cell phone bills are among the most expensive on the planet: National Post
[2] 'I wasn't telling them the whole truth': former sales rep for Bell says he was trained to mislead: CBC
[3] Rogers employees say managers turn a blind eye so call centre workers can lie and cheat customers: CBC
[4] Inquiry on use of misleading or aggressive sales practices by large telecommunications service providers: CRTC
[5] Customer takes Bell to court and wins, as judge agrees telecom giant can't promise a price, then change it: CBC
[6] CBC investigation into sales practices at major telcos prompts growing calls for public inquiry: CBC

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