Evidence of meeting #29 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was crtc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you, Ms. Bateman.
We will go to Mr. Sandhu first, then to Mr. Masse.
November 18th, 2014 / 10:25 a.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm concerned about a couple of areas.
First of all, we're glad, thrilled, to see the government move on the pay-to-pay billing to provide some relief for consumers. We've been pushing for that for a number of years. But the Conservatives are helping their friends in the big banks again. They are still going to be able to charge the extra fees to Canadians.
That's one aspect, but the other aspect I'm very concerned about, Mr. Lawford, is not only that I've seen the wireless telephone bill really high for my own family, but I constantly hear complaints from my constituents when we compare what some people pay in the United States and what we pay here or what the Europeans pay.
I think there's a missed opportunity on the Conservatives' part to provide that relief, that competition, to allow Canadian consumers to lower the wireless bill. Is there anything in this particular bill that allows those fees to be lowered?
10:30 a.m.
Executive Director and General Counsel, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Taking away the paper bill fee obviously lowers that cost immediately on a pretty substantial basis for a number of people, which is a great start. The rest of the bill affects that more indirectly, and that would be by having the Competition Bureau, for example, have the same information as the CRTC when they make their representations about how competitive the industry is in regulatory proceedings. That is a very important change. We'd like to do all sorts of great things in the bill, in any bill, to promote more competition. But within the framework we have, the CRTC over here, and then leaving aside all that spectrum stuff, that's a very positive change, and should help the questions like the ones you're asking at least get before the CRTC.
10:30 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Eby, you get four months right now to implement the changes. Maybe you can explain why it takes telecommunications giants four months to structurally provide this service. It seems a bit of a stretch to me. Can you convince this committee why this time is necessary, why it will take one quarter of a year to change the billing process? What's behind that complication?
10:30 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
It's the complexity of the billing systems, the number of plans they have in the market, and then spreading that across four services in most cases, and potentially multiple billing systems. These IT systems deal with tens of millions of customers. It's not that easy. It's not just flipping a switch.
10:30 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
You're communicating with them on a regular basis anyway. You're saying it's just the volume? There's a problem with the companies communicating with their current customers on a monthly basis?
10:30 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
It's not a communications issue, it's to make sure this system, which makes that bill for everyone, works for everyone; it's uniform for all customers at the same time; it goes into place at the same time, so when the government announces the date it will be ready, there'll be no mistakes.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you, Mr. Masse.
Now we'll move on to Madam Gallant for four minutes.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Eby, you requested that large businesses be exempt and that just persons and small businesses would receive the cost-free paper billing under the new regime.
Do larger businesses just receive an invoice once a year online? How do you communicate their usage? How would they be able to gauge their usage on a monthly basis, or even a day-to-day basis?
10:30 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
That would all be negotiated when the account is made. We're talking about corporate accounts of more than $2,500 a month. It would be a very wide range, covering all businesses. It's not just to apply this regulation to those accounts. The volume is so large. That's going to be a competitive issue: how every company offers to make sure this company can track their usage, and how many devices or services they have in play, to make sure that's freely negotiated, but is not subject to this particular piece of legislation.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
So $2,500 in fees per month is what you feel is the threshold?
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
That's what the CCTS has set as the level for small businesses as a business expense of under $2,500 a month for telecommunications fees.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Small businesses, very small businesses, depending on what field they're in can go well over the $2,500. If they were to receive....They would have to go into the Internet and obtain the itemized aspect of their billing.
Would it show usage on a monthly basis? What would the breakdown be like? How would it differ for those companies versus the ones who still receive the paper bill?
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
I'm not sure. I don't offer that service. I can't speculate. It would be similar, just over a much larger volume of users.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Do the companies, the telecoms, charge late charges in addition to the paper billing and do they charge for late charges if a person accesses their billing over the Internet?
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
A person who doesn't pay their bill on time?
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Right. If they happen to forget that it's due on a certain day or don't have access to the Internet. Where I come from, we have many companies and individuals who don't have access to the Internet on a consistent basis, whereas they may have access to cellphones depending on where they are.
If they were to be late, do the companies charge late fees?
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Yes, I believe they do.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
In lieu of going to the online charges, the online billing as opposed to paper billing, would there be any consideration on the part of the telecoms to forgo the late billing?
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
That's not something we discussed.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
They don't always have access to that when they need it in some parts of the country.
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Right. Many providers already waive the paper bill fee for people who don't have Internet access because of that.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Who do they contact? Who do they speak to when there is a complaint about billing?
10:35 a.m.
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Who does an individual speak to? They would take that complaint to the CCTS. You could complain directly to your provider, of course, and hopefully they would rectify it, but if you want to make a formal complaint, you take it to CCTS.