Consumer bill of rights gets thumbs up from majority of Canadians: Decima poll

A majority of Canadians endorse the establishment of a consumer bill of rights (CBOR) even though they believe disputes with their telephone company are settled fairly. A July 2003 survey conducted by Decima Research Inc. for Decima Publishing Inc. asked more than 2,000 Canadians about their relationship with their telephone service providers and whether they would support a CBOR. Nearly two-thirds (63%) support the creation of a CBOR. Responses to the CBOR ProcessYou can find and read responses to the CRTC’s CBOR process here.The CRTC has initiated a process to determine how incumbent local telephone service providers should inform their customers about their existing rights and responsibilities (Telecom Public Notice 2003-6). While the scope of the current proceeding is to study the issue and how it relates to ILECs only, follow-up proceedings could broaden the scope of a CBOR to include subscribers of wireless operators and competitive telephone service providers. A consumer rights bill for telecommunications consumers is getting a big push in California where the state Public Utilities Commission introduced a proposed Telecommunications Consumer Bill of Rights on July 24. State officials are moving forward despite opposition from the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association and other experts. Opponents believe such a policy will actually be harmful to consumers and that healthy competition would negate the need for such regulatory measures. Prior to asking survey respondents about their support for the establishment of a CBOR and whether they believe disputes with their telephone company are resolved fairly, Decima sought to determine the level of awareness Canadians have regarding the rights and responsibilities with their telco. When asked how familiar they are about their rights and responsibilities with respect to their telephone company, 63% say they are "very familiar" or "somewhat familiar." Manitobans and Saskatchewanians register the highest familiarity at 67%. Residents of British Columbia are the least familiar at 58%. Approximately two-thirds (67%) of Canadians say they "agree completely" or "somewhat agree" with the following statement: "disputes with my telephone company are resolved fairly." Only 10% "disagree somewhat" or "disagree completely" with the statement. Consumers in the operating territories of the regional incumbents - SaskTel, Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. and Aliant Telecom Inc. - are the least supportive of establishing a CBOR. Sixty-one per cent of residents in Manitoba and Saskatchewan support the concept. Residents in Aliant’s territory of Atlantic Canada register at 59%. This level of support is offset by a high percentage of respondents indicating disputes with their telephone companies are settled fairly (72% in Atlantic Canada and 69% in Manitoba/Saskatchewan). Consumers in Bell Canada’s territory of Ontario and Quebec are big supporters of a CBOR, with 64% of Ontarians and 66% of Quebecers endorsing the idea. But they also believe their disputes are dealt with in a fair manner (70% in Ontario and 65% in Quebec). In Telus Corp. territory, 60% of Albertans and 58% of British Columbians support the establishment of a CBOR. About two-thirds (67%) of Albertans and 61% of British Columbians say that disputes with their telco are resolved fairly. The survey was conducted between July 10 and July 20 through the Decima teleVox, a national omnibus telephone survey conducted monthly by Decima Research. Results of the survey are based on a sample of 2,013 adult Canadians and are accurate to within +/- 2.2%, 19 times out of 20.

Consumer bill of rights gets thumbs up from majority of Canadians: Decima poll

News | 07/31/2003 4:00 am EDT

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