ASL – Understanding the need for more consumer protections (2 of 6)
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Video Transcript
Understanding the need for more consumer protections
The summary of this notice of consultation is being provided to help promote accessibility and is not an official version of the notice of consultation.
The Commission is seeking comments on the questions, to be submitted no later than 13 November 2025.
Need to implement consumer protections in the event of a service outage or disruption
Q1. Should the Commission impose consumer protections in the event of a service outage or disruption, or are existing protections sufficient? Why or why not?
Nature and scope of any further consumer protections
Q2. For any type of consumer protections considered in this proceeding, what should be considered a service “outage” or a “disruption”? For example, how long should the service be out before it is considered a service outage or a disruption?
Q3. Should the definition of these terms vary depending on the service in question (i.e., home Internet, telephone, television, or wireless services)? Why or why not?
Q4. Should service outages and disruptions be treated in the same manner or differently, regardless of the service? Why or why not?
Q5. What type of service outage and disruption protections should be imposed?
- Should the Commission require service providers to issue refunds and/or bill credits (hereafter, refunds)? Why or why not?
- Should the Commission require service providers to send out customer communications regarding service outages or disruptions? Why or why not?
- What other measures, if any, should service providers undertake in responding to customers before, during, or after a service outage?
Q6. What exceptions should be considered? Possible exceptions could include, for example, customer-caused service outages or disruption, service outages or disruption caused by third parties not employed by the service provider, or unforeseen force majeure events.
Q7. Should the Commission establish a minimum duration to a service outage or disruption before any potential consumer protections are required? Address each proposed protection measure, including mandatory refunds and customer communication requirements.
Application of any consumer protections
Q8. Should any new requirements apply to all telecommunications service providers and broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs)? Why or why not?
Q9. More specifically, which retail services warrant the imposition of consumer protections in the event of a service outage or disruption? For example, should the measures apply to all services that are in a typical bundle and covered by the existing Consumer Protection Codes (i.e., home Internet, telephone, television, and wireless services)?
Q10. Should any new requirements apply to retail services that are still subject to a tariff? Comment on which tariff amendments would be necessary, and provide an explanation and rationale.
Q11. Should the application of any new consumer protections in the event of a service outage or disruption be limited to service providers that are currently required to comply with the Consumer Protection Codes? Or should they be extended to all service providers offering services considered in question 9 of this appendix, including those that are not currently subject to the Internet Code and Deposit and Disconnection Code? Why or why not?
Q12. Should any new consumer protections apply to voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers? Why or why not?
Q13. Who should benefit from any consumer protections considered in this proceeding?
- Should any new requirements apply to residential customers only or to small business customers as well? Why or why not?
- If they should apply to businesses as well, should their application be limited to small business customers as generally defined in the context of the Consumer Protection Codes and by the Commission for Complaints of Telecom-television Services (CCTS)? Why or why not?
In this consultation, the Commission is looking to help make it easier for Canadians to know what to expect from their Internet, cellphone, telephone, or television service providers in the event of a service outage or disruption. The Commission is considering additional consumer protections, including clearer communications from service providers during outages and refunds for lost services.
This video introduces the Notice of Consultation’s questions related to understanding the need for more consumer protections.
Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-227
Consultation about consumer protections in the event of a service outage or disruption
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