Hi everyone,
In light of our class discussion about Bell and Superbowl advertising, I thought it was appropriate to highlight the following article:
The CRTC has recently been urged to hold a public inquiry into the sales practices of Canada’s telecommunication providers. This urge has come in the form of a formal letter to the CRTC from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), an Ottawa non-profit group. PIAC urges the CRTC to investigate recent media reports about high-pressure sales tactics used by telecommunication companies which target vulnerable customers.
The article highlights how a similar investigation was done by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada involving sales practices of major Canadian banks. If banks are not above the system than who is to say Bell, Telus, Rogers and all major telecommunication providers are not? I guess time will tell. However, this shows that perhaps the argument some may have, as addressed in class, regarding Bell getting its way when it comes to the Superbowl advertising issue and everything else it concerns itself with may not always be true.
The article can be found here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bell-high-pressure-sales-reaction-1.4478586
I was actually checking out that article during the break in class, to find out more about recent news around the CRTC and the ‘big three’. It’s absolutely shameful how salespersons are pressured into targeting vulnerable customers, such as the elderly.
Hopefully there is more pushback against the oligopolies in the Canadian market (in banking and telecommunications). Canadians pay some of the highest banking fees and telecom rates in the world. Yet, a recent press release issued by the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development stated that “positive trends” were emerging. This press release neglected to mention that Canadian wireless telephone prices were the world’s highest in half of the six service levels measured — and second- or third-highest in the other three.
The Government suggests that it is focused on price, as one of the three elements (quality and coverage being the other two) of telecoms service that matter most to middle-class families. But, it chooses to take a positive spin on the situation.
Article to the press release: https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2017/12/cellphone_plan_pricesdropformillionsofcanadians.html
Further information on the telecommunication environment in Canada, pertaining to providing for competition:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cellphone-deals-canada-1.3587744
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/freedom-mobile-big-3-competition-1.3870110
http://newsmaritimes.ca/2017/09/27/anthony-lacavera-heres-why-wind-mobile-failed/