Service Alberta Minister pushed for strong national approach to protect consumers

Edmonton… The Alberta government supports the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to consult Canadians on a national code to protect consumers of wireless services, including cell phones.

“I have been pressing the CRTC since becoming the Minister of Service Alberta to establish a national set of rules to protect consumers across Canada, and I am very pleased that the CRTC has followed through,” said Minister Manmeet S. Bhullar, minister responsible for consumer protection. “I will continue to advocate to the CRTC on behalf of Albertans throughout this process to ensure the 87 per cent of households in our province who have cell phones have the clarity and protection they deserve.”

In March, Bhullar met with the federal Minister of Industry and wrote to the CRTC to urge a national code of consistent standards for consumer protection and requirements for wireless service providers across Canada.

Concerns he raised included: the need to improve transparency of cellular and wireless data services to ensure consumers have sufficient information to understand and manage their costs; the need for clear disclosure of roaming costs; standardized units of data consumption (megabyte or kilobyte); and a requirement that would prohibit wireless providers from amending or renewing contracts without the express consent of the consumer.

The CRTC launched the consultation after Bhullar’s initial advocacy and after subsequent submissions from the public and industry on whether it should intervene in the wireless communications market.