Seniors and Consumer Groups Petition to Cabinet Restore Paper Billing for Koodo Wireless Customers

OTTAWA, June 2, 2020 – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the National Pensioners Federation (NPF) filed yesterday a Petition to Cabinet of the Federal government to reverse the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to allow Koodo Mobile (owned by TELUS Communications Inc.) to change their customers’ monthly bill from paper to electronic format.
“Canadian consumers deserve a paper bill if they want or need one,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel of PIAC.  “The CRTC and wireless companies pretend that seniors and others will not be hurt but that’s not what we heard,” he added.
PIAC and NPF’s Petition asks the government to reverse the CRTC’s decision in order to ensure that customers know what their bill is, to be able to control their payments, and to avoid late fees and extra charges and possible disconnection.
Trish McAuliffe, President, NPF stated seniors’ concerns: “Seniors rely on cellphones to connect to the world but many need and rely on paper bills, as they have for years, to know what they should pay and when.”  Nothing surprises and angers seniors more, she noted, than forcing them change to change their tried and trusted methods for paying bills: “We will stand up for seniors’ rights to choose the billing format they need and want.  After all, they are paying.”
PIAC-NPF’s Petition is found here: Petition to the Governor in Council concerning Telecom Decision CRTC 2020-80, Public Interest Advocacy Centre and National Pensioners Federation – Application regarding paper billing by Koodo Mobile
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 447-8125
jlawford@piac.ca
https://www.piac.ca
 
Trish McAuliffe
President
National Pensioners Federation
905-706-5806
Trish.mcauliffe@npfmail.ca
https://nationalpensionersfederation.ca
 
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