The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS) has released its annual review for the 2023-24 reporting period.

The commission accepted 20,147 complaints across all services (wireless, internet, TV, and phone) in Canada, a 38 percent increase from the previous year and the highest number recorded in the organization’s history.

The increased number of complaints accepted this year can be attributed to increased public awareness about the CCTS and their improved complaint-handling process, leading to an improved customer experience when filing reports. The organization highlighted its growing emphasis on digital, social, and radio advertising this year, with plans to further enhance public awareness in the future.

During the reporting period from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024, Rogers, Bell, and Telus accounted for 86 percent of the 20,147 complaints, up from 81 percent the previous year and 72 percent in 2021-22. The report includes 436 brands operated by 311 service provider groups.

Among the big three brands, Rogers experienced the most significant increase in its share of total complaints, accounting for 24 percent of all complaints compared to other service providers, a four percent increase from last year. The CCTS reported Rogers saw a 68 percent year-over-year rise in the total number of complaints accepted across all services.

These complaint categories saw a significant growth for Rogers:

• Incorrect charge for monthly price plan: 91% increase.
• Contract disclosure issues: 79% increase.
• Credit or refund not received: 128% increase.
• Regular price increase of monthly price plans: 447% increase.

Bell received 3,340 complaints this year, marking a seven percent increase from last year. This rise follows three consecutive years of declining number of complaints. Bell accounts for 17 percent of all accepted complaints, up slightly from 16 percent last year.

Bell’s top issue this year was incorrect charges for monthly price plans, representing 15 percent of all issues raised about the service provider.

Telus received 2,757 complaints this year, with the CCTS reporting a 53 percent increase in accepted complaints about Telus compared to last year. This rise is a significant increase compared to the 38 percent year-over-year increase observed across all service providers. Telus accounts for 14 percent of all accepted complaints, up from 12 percent last year.

Telus’ customers raised the following issues more often than last year:

• Incorrect charge for monthly price plan (top issue): 73% increase.
• Disclosure issues: 48% increase.
• Credit or refund not received: 155% increase.
• Regular price increase of monthly price plans: 234% increase.

Billing issues experienced the largest growth among all issue types, up by 52 percent this year. While billing was the top concern across most service types (wireless, internet, TV), local phone customers reported service delivery as their primary issue.

A closer look at wireless services

Wireless services remain the most reported category, accounting for 52 percent of all issues raised this year. Issues regarding wireless services increased by 27 percent compared to last year.

Billing remains the leading category of issues for wireless services, with an increase of 39 percent from last year. Service delivery issues increased by 27 percent, and contract dispute issues increased by 12 percent.

The top three contributors to the rise in wireless issues include:

• Incorrect charge for monthly price plan: 31% increase.
• Credit or refund not received: 108% increase.
• Regular price increase of monthly price plan: 360% increase.

Wireless Code

The CCTS evaluates service provider conduct using four codes established by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) — Canada’s independent tribunal that regulates telecommunications and broadcast sectors in public interest.

The Wireless Code, created by the CRTC in 2013, regulates service providers with industry standards and fair practices for them to follow. For consumers, it promotes access to reliable communication services and safeguards their rights as set out in their contracts.

The CCTS received 2,246 reports of alleged breaches of the Wireless Code. The organization investigated 72 of these alleged breaches, resulting in 46 confirmed breaches, a decrease of four percent year-over-year.

Disconnection (Section I of the Wireless Code) was listed as the most breached requirement. In order for this section of the code to be breached, as described by the CCTS, “the service provider failed to do at least one of these things:

• “give the customer the required amount of notice before disconnection
• “provide all the required information in the disconnected notice.”

Telus had the highest number of confirmed breaches this year, accounting for 26 percent of all confirmed breaches.

The CCTS resolved 16,838 complaints this year. The full report is available here.