Democracy Watch calls for Telecom Consumer Organization

Public interest lobby group Democracy Watch is urging the establishment of a Telecom Consumer Organization (TCO) that would look out for customers in a newly-narrowed landscape. The group called for such an organization two years ago when the takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. by Rogers Communications Inc. was first announced. The Fair Communications Sales Coalition made the same plea back in 2018. “Whether the Rogers-Shaw deal is approved, or competition increased, to really stop ongoing gouging and abuse by Canada’s big telecom companies the federal government must create a national, consumer-run telecom watchdog group that will empower and provide free help to consumers with shopping around, complaining and suing to get good, fairly priced service from the companies,” Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, said in a news release issued Wednesday. Conacher’s proposal would see the government pass legislation creating the TCO at no cost to the public or private sector. Consumers would pay an annual membership fee of around $30. Telecom firms would be required to send out pamphlets about the TCO once or twice a year to those who still get paper bills and emails to those on paperless delivery. The TCO would pay for the cost of the pamphlets. Similar organizations have been set up in the United States, some looking at state utilities. American data shows a five per cent participation rate. Democracy Watch estimates that a Canadian TCO would have about one million subscribers and an annual budget of $30 million. Also on Wednesday, the Green Party of Canada weighed in with its opinion on the Rogers-Shaw merger. The party is against the deal, saying it would hurt millions of consumers through higher prices, reduced quality of service and less innovation in wireless services. “We know all too well the consequences of relying too heavily on a limited number of private telecommunications providers whose main interest is ensuring corporate profits,” leader Elizabeth May was quoted as saying in a statement. “In July 2022, the Rogers blackout affected millions of people, crippling essential services, including payment systems, government services and even access to 911. This is simply unacceptable.” The Greens are calling for the end to corporate monopolies, either through added competition or the establishment of a public telecom. “In Saskatchewan, SaskTel has proven that nationalizing telecommunications can not only result in lower prices, but also better service for people living in rural areas,” Green MP Mike Morrice said in the same statement. The Greens are late to the party in expressing their feelings about the takeover. The New Democrats have been speaking out against the merger for months now. When Pierre Poilievre was Industry critic for the Conservatives, he spoke cautiously, saying the matter needed study and heralding the investigation by the Competition Bureau. After the Federal Court of Appeal upheld the Competition Tribunal’s dismissal of the Bureau’s case, Poilievre, now party leader, stated that more competition is needed but that his party would be studying the ruling before making a definitive decision. –Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca and editing by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca.

Democracy Watch calls for Telecom Consumer Organization

News | February 8, 2023

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Democracy Watch calls for Telecom Consumer Organization

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