As a phone complaint ombudsman, we can help you with a wide range of phone complaints, and how to file a complaint about a cell phone company, home phone (landline) and cellular phone (mobile) products and services including:

• Wireless/mobile/cell phone services (including voice, data and text)
• Landline/home telephone service complaints
• Business phone service complaints
• Long-distance telephone services (including prepaid calling cards)
• White page directories, directory assistance and operator services

Compliance with contract terms and commitments and complaint about mobile company (but not the contract terms themselves)

• Disputes about whether there is a contract, what is included in a contract or how the contract should be interpreted
• Disputes about whether the phone company’s conduct meets its contractual obligations
• Misunderstandings about the particulars of a contract or term

How to file a complaint about a cell phone company and about billing disputes and errors (but not the price of the phone service itself)

• Having agreed to one price and subsequently being charged more
• Being overcharged due to either a billing system error or a price that is different than advertised
• Being billed for per-use services which they claim they did not use

Service delivery

• The installation, repair or disconnection of phone service, including the quality of the service or unreasonable interruptions to service
• Mobile network complaints
• Transfers of service from one provider to another

Credit management

• Security deposits
• Payment arrangements with phone company
• Collections treatment of customer accounts

 

Exclusions

Exclusions from our phone mandate include:

• Emergency services
• Payphones
• Yellow page or business directories
• Telemarking or unsolicited messages
• 900 and 976 services
• Equipment
• Inside wiring
• Security services such as alarm monitoring
• Networking services
• Pricing of products or services
• Rights of way
• Plant, including (without limitation), poles, towers conduits, trenches and other support structures
• Claims of false and misleading advertising
• Privacy issues

 

The Wireless Code of Conduct

The CRTC Wireless Code is administered by the CCTS. Highlights include requirements for phone and wireless service providers to:

• Make it easier for individual and small business customers to get information about their contracts for wireless services
• Ensure that the prices set out in the contract are clear and must indicate whether these prices include taxes
• Not charge a customer any overage charge for services purchased on an unlimited basis
• Not limit the use of a service purchased on an unlimited basis unless these limits are clearly explained in the fair use policy

For more information on the Wireless code, check out the Annotated Guide to the Wireless Code.

 

The Deposit and Disconnection Code of Conduct

The CRTC Deposit and Disconnection Code is administered by the CCTS. Highlights include requirements for phone providers to:

• Provide customers with the reasons for requiring a deposit
• Notify customers before disconnecting their phone service
• Only disconnect the service during specified times

For information about the Deposit and Disconnection Code, check out Annotated Guide to the Deposit and Disconnection Code.