Cellphone unlocking now free in Canada
Cellphone companies will soon no longer be allowed to charge customers to unlock their devices, Canada’s telecom regulator said Thursday as it unveiled sweeping changes to the wireless code of conduct.
The new code from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission also says as of Dec. 1, all newly purchased devices must be sold unlocked – one of several other changes aimed at giving people more control over their wireless services.
The updated code, which originally came into effect in 2013, now stipulates:
- Unsatisfied customers will be able to cancel contracts within 15 days, as long as returned devices are in near-new condition and customers haven’t used more than half of their monthly usage.
- Only the wireless account holder on family or shared plans can consent to overage and roaming charges, unless others on the plan are expressly authorized to approve the costs.
- Data caps be tied to single accounts, no matter how many devices are listed on a shared plan.
- Wireless service providers cannot unilaterally change the key terms of a contract with a customer for voice, text or data services.
The changes come six months after the regulator heard from consumer groups who accused some cellphone companies of violating the code, either passively or actively, and called for the rules to be tightened and enforced.
“The changes and clarifications we are announcing today will give Canadians additional tools to make informed choices about their wireless services and take advantage of competitive offers in the marketplace,” CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said in a statement.
Banning unlocking fees could cost the big wireless providers a cumulative $37.7 million, which is what they collected in fees in 2016, according to disclosure documents provided to the CRTC.
Consumer rights advocates applauded the changes, predicting they will provide Canadians with greater clarity about what to expect when they sign up for wireless services.
Following Thursday’s announcement, Bell Mobility, Rogers, and Telus told Global News they were reviewing the CRTC’s decision.
Globalnews.ca
~Wakenya Canada
