[CCTS] Tutorial - How to File a Complaint
Since a recent personal experience, I've acquired some hands-on knowledge on submitting a claim to the CCTS (and making sure the CCTS approves the claim). Will focus on wireless, hence the cellphone forum (but much of this could be applicable to phone, internet and TV). I'll go through some pre-amble to guide users to see if they have a valid case first, then get into the application.
Wireless Carrier Issues that Warrant a CCTS Claim
Issues where the CCTS won't intervene
Steps to take before contacting CCTS
What can happen as a result of a claim
What to include in your claim
It's in the web form (or PDF) that I couldn't seem to access while browsing on my phone. Mind you, it's easy to simply send them an email to response@ccts-cprst.ca
Here's the useful info to include, especially if sending via email:
What happens next?
Once CCTS approves the claim, they get carrier's approval and sends them a fine. The carrier then has 30+14 days to resolve the issue with the subscriber (customer). If the carrier's resolution was not accepted by the customer or there was no call from the carrier to the customer within 30+14 days, customer is to contact to CCTS to escalate to a mediator. Once escalated, CCTS invoices carrier another fine. Although there's no deadline for a resolution with the mediator, most cases are resolved within two months.
Edit: looks like it's safe to say carriers get six weeks rather than four to reach out to the customer. It's originally four weeks (30 days), but the carrier can request up to two weeks extension with the CCTS's auto-approval. Carrier will send a template requesting two more weeks from CCTS for "technical issues". Given that most CCTS claims will likely be caused by carrier's reluctance to giving a resolution deadline or honouring a resolution deadline, it's nearly guaranteed that the carrier will request their bonus two weeks to buy time.
Anyone is free to share experiences with the CCTS. Anything helpful will be added to OP.
Wireless Carrier Issues that Warrant a CCTS Claim
- carrier won't honour a promotion or price that they guaranteed on the agreement (with the exception of possible price increases with notice)
- carrier won't release free unlock code to a consumer or small business customer
- carrier won't fix billing issues
- carrier will disrupt service without any valid reason (obviously they have reason to terminate service on accounts in the rears or expired prepaid)
- fraudulent activations unauthorized by customer
Issues where the CCTS won't intervene
- Carrier's day to day pricing (even if it's obnoxiously high)
- Anything within the carrier's ToS and rates, unless in violation with wireless code
Steps to take before contacting CCTS
- call the carrier. If CSR won't resolve the issue, ask to speak to the next level up (loyalty/supervisor/etc.). If they refuse to transfer, hang up and call again. If they transfer, and next level up won't resolve the issue, hang up and call again. If they promise a call back, wait for the call back. You'll need two interactions with the carrier where you've asked to speak with the next level up. A follow-up call (whether honoured or not) can count as a second interaction.
- Threaten to go to the CCTS. CCTS knows that when carrier's CSR hears CCTS, they normally are more motivated to resolve the issue.
- Document the dates of the incident as well as each interaction and promised follow-up call dates.
- Collect your evidence with screenshots wherever possible. Any screen where something does not work (error code, etc.), best to snap a screenshot.
What can happen as a result of a claim
- you get money from carrier
- carrier might choose to no longer be your provider. As this is private enterprise, you can be served a deadline to port out, else lose the number. It's not yet against wireless code for a carrier to deny a customer service. IMO, something should be negotiated where a carrier can't give a customer the boot within a year of a successful CCTS claim, but my opinion carries no weight here.
What to include in your claim
It's in the web form (or PDF) that I couldn't seem to access while browsing on my phone. Mind you, it's easy to simply send them an email to response@ccts-cprst.ca
Here's the useful info to include, especially if sending via email:
- your name (and business name if relevant)
- Carrier name
- Your phone number
- Your account number (and serial number, if relevant)
- Your address (if billing is different from service, include both)
- Expected compensation amount - maximum one can ask for is $5k
- Include initial issue
- Include your logs (dates and interactions) with what happened as well as promised call back dates
- Include outstanding issues
- Include all evidence (screenshots). These are very important. Wherever a carrier can reverse a lockdown and then tell the CCTS that "the customer is free to proceed with X", it's best to capture the instances while it doesn't work.
What happens next?
Once CCTS approves the claim, they get carrier's approval and sends them a fine. The carrier then has 30+14 days to resolve the issue with the subscriber (customer). If the carrier's resolution was not accepted by the customer or there was no call from the carrier to the customer within 30+14 days, customer is to contact to CCTS to escalate to a mediator. Once escalated, CCTS invoices carrier another fine. Although there's no deadline for a resolution with the mediator, most cases are resolved within two months.
Edit: looks like it's safe to say carriers get six weeks rather than four to reach out to the customer. It's originally four weeks (30 days), but the carrier can request up to two weeks extension with the CCTS's auto-approval. Carrier will send a template requesting two more weeks from CCTS for "technical issues". Given that most CCTS claims will likely be caused by carrier's reluctance to giving a resolution deadline or honouring a resolution deadline, it's nearly guaranteed that the carrier will request their bonus two weeks to buy time.
Anyone is free to share experiences with the CCTS. Anything helpful will be added to OP.
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