Fighting new e-billing charges-Telus Mobility
Does anyone have any experience in fighting Telus Mobility (or any corporation) in their move to paper billing? Recently, Telus Mobility began charging $2 a month for customers who refused to sign up for e-billing and support the tax write off charity scam (you know, sign up for e-billing and we'll "donate" $1 to x charity). I have escalated my challenge of this extra fee to the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services, but doubt this will work.
I am challenging Telus' billing based on the following:
1) I am a long-term customer (acquired when Telus took over Clearnet)
2) I have a three year contract with Telus (fortunately, ending January 2011), which stipulates what they can charge. (Going through the fine print, there is no mention of fee to receive a bill.)
3) While my contract stipulate that Telus can elect to deliver my bill electronically, it again does not stipulate that it can charge if I refuse this service.
Surely, I can't be the only one affected by this? For the record, I'm tee'd off by the principle of Telus violating the terms of our signed contract, rather than phony environmentalism assoicated with e-billing.
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Update: May 20, 2011
In case anyone was wondering, here's what happened with my dispute with Telus Mobility over their illegal billing practices.
1) I submitted a complaint with the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Service. In my complaint, I explicitly stated that I wished all communication with Telus Mobility in writing.
2) I received two voice messages from the President's Office (yeah, right) from Telus mobility, one on Christmas Eve and one on New Years eve. I did not respond to either message.
3) CCTS wrote in January asking if my claimed had been resolved. As I had not received written communication from Telus Mobility acknowledging my complaint, I said it was not. I was then assigned a case worker for my case.
4) The case worker took my case to Telus, who offered a $20 credit (equal to 10 months of billing service). However, the case worker said that she could not investigate me claim that Telus was violating the terms of my contract by charging me an extra fee, because the CCTS CANNOT INVESTGIATE CELL PHONE COMPANY BILLING PRACTICES.
5) I requested that in order to close my file, that Telus Mobility write me indicating why they were providing me a $20 credit. I never received such a letter, just a credit on my bill. The CCTS subsequently closed my complaint.
6) I've closed my Telus Mobility account, and currently do not have a cell phone. I have also written my local MP (Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore, and the former Industry Minister expressing my dissatisfaction with the current voluntary corporate regulatory body (the CCTS), which has no power re: billing to hold the cell companies accountable for illegal billing practice. Sometimes you need big government to come in hold these companies accountable!
7) I strongly urge anyone else who was illegally billed by Telus for their contract-breaking charge for their unilateral switch to paperless billing to follow up with the CCTS and the Industry Minister.
Does anyone have any experience in fighting Telus Mobility (or any corporation) in their move to paper billing? Recently, Telus Mobility began charging $2 a month for customers who refused to sign up for e-billing and support the tax write off charity scam (you know, sign up for e-billing and we'll "donate" $1 to x charity). I have escalated my challenge of this extra fee to the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services, but doubt this will work.
I am challenging Telus' billing based on the following:
1) I am a long-term customer (acquired when Telus took over Clearnet)
2) I have a three year contract with Telus (fortunately, ending January 2011), which stipulates what they can charge. (Going through the fine print, there is no mention of fee to receive a bill.)
3) While my contract stipulate that Telus can elect to deliver my bill electronically, it again does not stipulate that it can charge if I refuse this service.
Surely, I can't be the only one affected by this? For the record, I'm tee'd off by the principle of Telus violating the terms of our signed contract, rather than phony environmentalism assoicated with e-billing.
____________
Update: May 20, 2011
In case anyone was wondering, here's what happened with my dispute with Telus Mobility over their illegal billing practices.
1) I submitted a complaint with the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Service. In my complaint, I explicitly stated that I wished all communication with Telus Mobility in writing.
2) I received two voice messages from the President's Office (yeah, right) from Telus mobility, one on Christmas Eve and one on New Years eve. I did not respond to either message.
3) CCTS wrote in January asking if my claimed had been resolved. As I had not received written communication from Telus Mobility acknowledging my complaint, I said it was not. I was then assigned a case worker for my case.
4) The case worker took my case to Telus, who offered a $20 credit (equal to 10 months of billing service). However, the case worker said that she could not investigate me claim that Telus was violating the terms of my contract by charging me an extra fee, because the CCTS CANNOT INVESTGIATE CELL PHONE COMPANY BILLING PRACTICES.
5) I requested that in order to close my file, that Telus Mobility write me indicating why they were providing me a $20 credit. I never received such a letter, just a credit on my bill. The CCTS subsequently closed my complaint.
6) I've closed my Telus Mobility account, and currently do not have a cell phone. I have also written my local MP (Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore, and the former Industry Minister expressing my dissatisfaction with the current voluntary corporate regulatory body (the CCTS), which has no power re: billing to hold the cell companies accountable for illegal billing practice. Sometimes you need big government to come in hold these companies accountable!
7) I strongly urge anyone else who was illegally billed by Telus for their contract-breaking charge for their unilateral switch to paperless billing to follow up with the CCTS and the Industry Minister.