Back in April the Toronto Star broke the story that the four major players in the Canadian cell phone market appeared to be in collusion on what they were all referring to as a "system access fee", a $6.95 fee added to every monthly cell phone bill. The telcos were claiming it was a mandatory, government-imposed fee when in fact it was nothing of the kind and going straight to the companies' bottom lines.
When I blogged the original story I suggested that perhaps we needed stronger anti-trust laws. While I'm unable to report any progress in that direction, I can certainly report progress of a different kind via CTV News.
Canada's four biggest cellphone carriers could lose their operating licences if a new class-action lawsuit proves they've misled customers about an add-on fee.A class action suit has been filed naming CTV's parent company Bell, as well as Rogers, Telus and Fido operator Microcell. It alleges the carriers' monthly $7 "system access" fee is illegal.
... the suit claims customers are being misled by companies claiming the fee is a mandatory stipend collected on the federal government's behalf. The fee is, in fact, an industry creation not required by Ottawa, the suit claims.
The carriers now risk breaching their licences if caught describing the fee as a mandatory government charge.
...
All four carriers said the suit, which was filed in Saskatchewan on Aug. 9, has yet to be certified.
Since I don't have a cell phone I have no personal stake here. But I'm sure cheerleading this one from the sidelines.
