Worried woman on telephoneComstock
The CRTC has set out a new code of conduct for telephone companies, spelling out their obligations when disconnecting a subscriber's home service for failing to pay the bill.
The code sets out how much notice that phone companies must provide before disconnecting a telephone line, the hours and days during which companies may disconnect service and the maximum deposit that can be requested.
The CRTC says that Canadians have too often encountered different policies from phone companies where their home telephone service is disconnected or they must provide a deposit.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission had asked the telecom industry and consumer groups to develop the code.
The code will apply to both large telephone companies and their competitors starting on May 14, 2012.