Internet plans to get easier to compare, CRTC says

By Your Southwest Media Group

People will soon have an easier time comparing internet plans, a recent Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) statement said.

Changes to the Telecommunications Act “put new consumer protections in place” after a consultation process that drew 77 submissions.

Officials also “heard a wide range of views from individuals, consumer groups and service providers” in a public hearing on how to make shopping for internet services easier, the statement said.

Residents will be able to see the monthly price after promotions end plus “the actual internet speeds they can expect during the busiest times of day, rather than advertised ‘up to’ speeds,” the statement said.

The commission previously eliminated extra fees for internet and cellphone plans, gave people more flexibility to change or cancel their plans and ordered companies to improve their notifications about expiring contracts, the statement noted.

“More work is underway, including a review of the consumer protection codes, with the goal of simplifying and combining them into one code,” the statement added.