CRTC says Canadians paying higher international roaming rates, will launch study

Article content

Canadians who feel like they pay more in roaming rates when they use their cellphone outside of Canada are right, CRTC chair Vicky Eatrides told the Liberal government.

Article content

The CRTC has “already started comparing the international roaming rates available to us with those available in other countries,” she wrote to Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne Thursday.

“Our preliminary results confirm what many Canadians are feeling — that international roaming rates we pay are higher.”

She was responding to a letter from Champagne, in which he said “certain wireless carriers” had recently increased the fees they charge for international roaming. Champagne said this was a “concerning trend to charge more for existing services broadly” at a time of increased inflation.

“The current increase in roaming rates is of particular concern, given that the long-run trend in other jurisdictions has been one of general price declines.”

Article content

Champagne said increases to fees like international roaming charges can be a way for telecom companies to “raise the consumer price without affecting the main sticker price that is most visible to consumers in making their purchasing decision.”

In her response to Champagne, Eatrides said the CRTC would be launching a study to look at the issue in more detail.

“These types of fees have the potential to undermine the work we are doing to lower wireless prices,” the letter said.

“As the telecommunications regulator, we take seriously attempts to increase Canadians’ bills through ancillary fees. We will continue to use all available tools to address this type of behaviour and will keep Canadians apprised of developments.”