Small telecoms company fined for CCTS non-compliance

The CRTC has fined a small telecoms company $15,000 for failing to participate in the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services. On Thursday, the commission released the decision regarding William Robert John McQuaid who owns MySignal.ca Solutions Inc. The CRTC is giving McQuaid 30 days to pay the fine and requires him “and any other entity under his effective control that is providing telecommunications services within the mandate of the CCTS, to become a participant in the CCTS within 60 days of the date of the mandatory order.” The CCTS is an independent organization that resolves consumer complaints about telephone and internet services. “The CCTS is an integral component of a deregulated telecommunications market, and it provides a valuable service to Canadian consumers,” the CRTC wrote in its decision.. Since 2011, the regulator has mandated that all telecommunication service providers (TSPs) that provide services within the CCTS’ scope to become participants “to ensure that Canadian consumers have recourse when they are unable to resolve complaints with their TSPs.” MySignal.ca was one of six smaller TSPs that refused to join the CCTS. The commission gave the companies until Dec. 2019 to explain (a show cause proceeding) why the companies, and its directors, shouldn’t be found in violation of the Telecommunications Act for contravening its participation requirement. TSPs found to be in violation of the act would have to pay administrative monetary penalties up to $50,000 and its directors would have to pay up to $15,000. In Feb. 2018 the CCTS received a complaint about MySigna.ca and ”subsequently notified” the company and McQuaid, according to the commissions’ 2019 show-cause proceeding. MySignal.ca failed to meet its April 12, 2018 deadline to participate, so the CCTS brought the non-compliance matter to the CRTC in July 2018. A TSP is found to be in non-compliance with the CCTS participation requirement “by failing to join the CCTS within 30 days of receiving notification from the CCTS.” The commission did not receive any interventions from Mr. McQuaid or MySignal.ca in response to its 2019 proceedings. If the CRTC does not receive its payment within 30 days, it “intends to take measures to collect the amount owing, which may include certifying the unpaid amount and registering the certificate with the Federal Court,” according to its Thursday decision. Interest will also be calculated and compounded monthly at the average bank rate plus three per cent.

Small telecoms company fined for CCTS non-compliance

Brief | May 20, 2021

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Small telecoms company fined for CCTS non-compliance

Brief | May 20, 2021

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