{"id":19976,"date":"2026-10-06T05:05:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T09:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mhgoldberg.com\/blog\/?p=19976"},"modified":"2026-10-05T13:47:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T17:47:57","slug":"the-cost-of-reducing-administrative-burden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mhgoldberg.com\/blog\/?p=19976","title":{"rendered":"The cost of reducing administrative burden"},"content":{"rendered":"

In June, the CRTC launched a proceeding<\/a> with the stated intent of making consumer protections for communications services more clear and more consistent by combining the four separate codes (home phone, wireless, internet, and TV) into a single unified Code (the Consumer Protection Code), while reducing administrative burden.<\/p>\n

A number of the initial submissions express concerns that simply combining four Codes into a single document does not make the regulatory framework simpler or contribute to reducing administrative burden. The Commission’s Working Document – a proposed unified Code – runs 33 pages. <\/p>\n

The Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA) cautions that the Working Document isn’t clearer or simpler. “Those objectives require the Commission to assess whether existing requirements remain necessary, proportionate and appropriate considering current market conditions, and whether they can be simplified, modernized or eliminated.” <\/p>\n

Among the 24 questions posed to intervenors, only one (Q.12) asks “Are any other updates to the rules for early cancellation fees for wireless services needed to account for other evolving industry trends?” <\/p>\n

Shouldn’t that be asked of every clause in the document? Shouldn’t the CRTC be looking for ways to update all of its rules?<\/p>\n

CTA wrote:<\/p>\n

The Commission should use this proceeding as an opportunity to modernize and rationalize, rather than simply amalgamate, the existing consumer protection framework. Consistency should be pursued where there is a sound policy basis for treating services alike, but differences should be retained where the nature of the service, the consumer issue being addressed or the costs of compliance justify different treatment. Similarly, where market and technological developments have overtaken the circumstances that originally justified a requirement, harmonization should provide an opportunity to simplify or remove that requirement rather than extend it to additional services.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Along those lines, TELUS says that choice and competition in the TV market “have rendered prescriptive protections unnecessary and largely irrelevant to consumers.” TELUS says there is no need for the new unified Code to include TV.<\/p>\n

Similarly, certain prescriptive elements of some of the individual codes have not kept up with changes in the marketplace. <\/p>\n

In its Working Document, the CRTC proposed to extend a $50 cap on data overage charges (that currently applies to wireless services) to Internet services. In a world of unlimited residential high-speed internet, is that really necessary? <\/p>\n

The lowest priced iPhone in 2025 retailed for C$999 as contrasted with the highest price for an iPhone in 2015, C$769. An iPhone 18 Pro Max with 2TB of storage is currently listed<\/a> at C$3,699. Amortizing such a device over two years at 0% financing costs more than $150 per month. Can’t we treat consumers like adults and let them have the option of spreading increased device costs over a longer period of time than the maximum 24 months set out by the CRTC<\/a> more than 13 years ago?<\/p>\n

In the interest of administrative simplicity, a number of submissions called for the CRTC to clearly assert federal jurisdiction over consumer protections for communications services. Otherwise, service providers will be left having to navigate the Commission’s unified Code, as well as 13 provincial and territorial regimes setting out inconsistent regulations. <\/p>\n

I frequently write about regulatory stability<\/a> and Calvinball<\/a>. Last week, I wrote<\/a> that government operates under different pressures than business. I’m not sure that the regulator appreciates the impact of some of its decisions on service providers operating businesses at scales of more than 10 million consumers. <\/p>\n

There is a cumulative impact of decisions on the stability of business operations. With hundreds of retail outlets, thousands of customer service representatives, even small changes to retail consumer regulations can lead to changes in business processes, information systems, point of sale terminals, and training for customer service representatives and third party agents. <\/p>\n

As the Commission continues down this path, we should ask, “for whom are we reducing administrative burden?”<\/p>\n

According to the CRTC’s “Coming Attractions”<\/a> page, there is a plan to issue a Telecom Notice of Consultation this week, with a “Call for comments \u2013 Reducing red tape \u2013 Review of telecommunications reporting requirements”. The Commission might want to consider whether this should be a continuous process, inherent in every proceeding.<\/p>\n

What is the cost of implementing administrative simplicity? Will these changes deliver value for consumers, service providers, both, or none of the above?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In June, the CRTC launched a proceeding with the stated intent of making consumer protections for communications services more clear and more consistent by combining the four separate codes (home phone, wireless, internet, and TV) into a single unified Code (the Consumer Protection Code), while reducing administrative burden. A number of the initial submissions express …<\/p>\n

The cost of reducing administrative burden<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","two_page_speed":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe cost of reducing administrative burden • Telecom Trends<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In June, the CRTC launched a proceeding with the stated intent of making consumer protections for communications services more clear and more consistent • October 6, 2026\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mhgoldberg.com\/blog\/?p=19976\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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