Telecom and Broadcasting - Staff Letter addressed to Philippe Gauvin (Bell Canada)

Ottawa, 12 February 2024

Our reference: 1011-NOC2020-0081

BY EMAIL

Philippe Gauvin
Assistant General Counsel
Bell Canada
Floor 19, 160 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2C4
bell.regulatory@bell.ca

Subject:  Request for information to Bell Canada regarding the provision of paper bills

Dear Mr. Gauvin,

It has been announced by different media outlets that Bell Canada will stop providing paper bills starting in April 2024. In light of this, please provide responses to the following questions.

1. In Telecom and Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-28, the Commission mandates that TSPs, including Canadian carriers, provide paper bills upon request and at no charge to the following groups: (i) customers who self-identify as people with disabilities; (ii) customers who do not subscribe to Internet or wireless data from their CSP, or in the case of a wireless voice-only subscriber, do not have zero-rated access to the billing portal; and (iii) seniors.
   • Please confirm that Bell Canada new billing guidelines will meet this criterion.

2. In Telecom and Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-28, the Commission expects that the following will be adhered to as best practices:
   1. CSPs are to make reasonable efforts to notify customers in advance of migrating them to e-billing, including bill inserts, text messages, emails, and telephone messages, as appropriate. CSPs are expected to make additional efforts to notify any customer who has been migrated to e-billing and who, within the first two billing cycles following the migration, has either failed to pay their bill on time or has not accessed the billing portal.
   2. CSPs are to provide sufficient information on their e-bills to enable customers to fully understand their monthly charges (i.e. what services and optional features or packages customers subscribe to and how much they are paying for each service, option, and package) and any applicable changes. In the case of service bundles, the bills should detail the services and optional features or packages that are included in the bundle and the price for that bundle.
   3. CSPs are to take further steps beyond voicemails and emails and to make contact via a telephone call in the case of customers who fall into arrears following an automatic transition to e-billing and are at risk of being disconnected.
      • Please confirm whether Bell Canada new billing guidelines will follow the aforementioned best practices; providing a detailed breakdown of the upcoming transition and any supporting documentation that may include scripts, training materials, etc.

The responses must address Bell Canada practices as a telecommunications service provider (TSP) and/or a broadcasting distribution undertaking (BDU), as well as the practices of any brands and subsidiaries, if the practices are not consistent across all Bell Canada services and brands. 

This information is to be filed with the Commission using GCKEY no later than 4 March 2024.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Patrick Arseneau, Senior Analyst, Social and Consumer Policy, at 819-994-7993 or patrick.arseneau@crtc.gc.ca.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Nanao Kachi
Director
Social and Consumer Policy, Consumer, Research and Communications

Date modified:

2024-02-12