Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to Philippe Gauvin (Bell Canada)
Gatineau, 6 May 2026
Our reference: 1011-NOC2024-0294
BY EMAIL
Philippe Gauvin
Assistant General Counsel
Bell Canada
Floor 19, 160 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2C4
bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Subject: Bell’s new Device Handling Charge
Dear Philippe Gauvin,
I have been informed today of a new Bell Mobility (Bell) practice through which customers are charged a $40 device handling charge if they choose to purchase a device along with their wireless service plan.
As you are aware, Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2026-43, Prohibition of fees that are a barrier to switching cellphone and Internet plans, set out the type of activation, modification, and cancellation fees that are prohibited by s. 27.04 of the Telecommunications Act.
In that Regulatory Policy, which comes into effect on 12 June 2026, the Commission recognized that some fees related to optional services (e.g., Wi-Fi configuration at a customer’s premises) or products (e.g., additional equipment that is not required for the delivery of the telecommunications service to the customer’s premises) that consumers may expressly agree to purchase warranted an exemption from the prohibition because there were direct costs associated with their provision.
A phone is a device that is required for the delivery of the wireless service customers are purchasing. It would not appear that the device handling charge falls under the exemption considered by the Commission for optional services and products. A fee associated with providing a phone may be considered to be an activation fee that is prohibited under s. 27.04 of the Act.
It is my hope that this situation can be resolved at this stage and will not require more formal regulatory action on the part of the Commission once the prohibition comes into effect.
A copy of this letter will be available on the Commission’s website and on the record of any other relevant proceeding the Commission may launch.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Scott Hutton
Vice-President, Consumer, Analytics and Strategy
CC: Nanao Kachi, Director, Social and Consumer Policy, CRTC, nanao.kachi@crtc.gc.ca
Guillaume Leclerc, Manager, Social and Consumer Policy, CRTC, Guillaume.leclerc@crtc.gc.ca
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