The CRTC is in the midst of hearings on the processes and mandate of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS).
The opening comments from the CRTC Chair indicated
This past spring, the government called on the telecommunications industry to establish an independent consumer agency that would, among other things, resolve complaints from consumers and small business customers arising as a consequence of forbearance from regulation of local services. A number of service providers joined forces to launch the CCTS in July 2007.
Further to the government’s directive, the new consumer agency’s structure and mandate is to be approved by the Commission. While the Commission will consider all the issues raised in Telecom Public Notice CRTC 2007-16, this hearing will specifically focus on the following matters:
- whether membership in the consumer agency should be mandatory for all telecommunications service providers;
- whether the consumer agency’s proposed governance structure ensures its independence from the telecommunications industry; and
- whether the consumer agency’s proposed mandate is appropriate.
Among the most interesting exchanges took place in the morning when the CRTC asked about the proposed process for filing a complaint. The CCTS complaints process requires that complaints be made in writing: submitting a form by mail, fax or on-line. What happened to phone?
The CRTC questions indicate that it thinks it would be reasonable for a telecom agency to take phone calls. Representatives of the CCTS board suggested that they need a record of the complaint – that is why they wanted the complaint in writing.
Would it be too much to suggest the ability to record the calls or have representatives take on-line notes?
Doesn’t the telephone industry sell such solutions all the time? If you can order service by phone and pay for service by phone, maybe we should let people express their frustrations by phone as well.
Technorati Tags:
CCTS