More Canadians are filing complaints about their telecommunications provider, and fewer are satisfied by the resolution, according to the mid-year report of the nation’s telecom ombuds service.
The mid-year report of the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-televisoin Services (CCTS) showed a 12 per cent increase in the number of complaints it accepted from dissatisfied consumers between August 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025 compared to the year prior.
Past reports showed that CCTS was able to normally resolve about 90 per cent of complaints, the rate dipped to 85 per cent in the most recent report.
Of the four services CCTS covers (wireless, internet, landline telephones and television), wireless is the leading source of complaints, about 50 per cent of the total complaints, though television showed the highest growth.
TELUS has earned the dubious top spot as the most complained about provider, with a 63 per cent rise in complaints over the prior year. The CCTS report showed that TELUS’ customer complaints were for incorrect charges to monthly price plans and breach of contract. Five years ago, TELUS customers filed 7.1 per cent of accepted complaints. That percentage has risen to 19.7 per cent, without a corresponding change in market share.
TELUS’ growth knocked Rogers out of the top spot. But complaints about Rogers’-owned Shaw increased almost 200 per cent. The focus of Shaw customer complaints was rental equipment, changes to contracts, and regular price increase of monthly price plans.
Related to Shaw’s increase in complaints, television showed the highest growth in complaints among the four services. The report noted that CCTS accepted 593 complaints from Shaw customers about increases to their equipment rental fees, largely related to a belief that their contracts provided price certainty. The report noted nearly all complaints were resolved to the mutual satisfaction of providers and customers.
CCTS only accepts complaints from telecom and TV consumers that cannot be resolved with the individual service provider. The most recent CCTS Annual Report showed that consumers have an average of three interactions with the provider before the complaint is directed to CCTS. A total of 11,909 complaints were accepted, up from 10,663 in the same period a year prior. Many of the CCTS statistics are based on “issues” rather than complaints, as a single complaint can contain more than one issue.