Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services Issues Second<br>Annual Report

OTTAWA, Nov. 2 /CNW Telbec/ - On behalf of the Chair of the Board of Directors, Canada's Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) Howard Maker is pleased to announce the release of the Commissioner's second annual report.

"CCTS has had a phenomenal year of growth. Over the past year, Canadians contacted CCTS over 17,000 times - an increase of over 183 percent from the previous year," pointed out Commissioner Maker. "It is obvious that Canadians have become increasingly aware of CCTS and our role". Maker noted that more telecommunications service providers (TSP) have joined CCTS, and significantly more complaints have been processed and resolved. "The addition of 22 new TSPs," added Maker "makes CCTS available to many more Canadian consumers."

Since July 2007 CCTS has provided consumers with an independent mechanism for resolution of complaints about deregulated local and long distance telephone services, as well as wireless service and internet access. This includes billing errors, compliance with contract terms and commitments, service delivery, credit management and collections issues.

"In July 2009, CCTS launched a public awareness campaign which is designed to get the word out about our services," said Maker. The steps to be taken by both CCTS and the service providers are designed to provide Canadian consumers with information about the options at their disposal in the event of a dispute with their provider regarding the telecommunications services provided to them.

"Resolving complaints is Job 1 for CCTS," concluded Maker. CCTS receives complaints, and works with consumers and service providers to resolve them. If they cannot be resolved, CCTS investigates, and recommends a resolution. If that recommendation is rejected by one of the parties, the Commissioner makes a formal Decision. That Decision is binding on the service provider, but not on the customer. As noted in the report, the majority of complaints investigated by CCTS were resolved expeditiously to the mutual satisfaction of all parties.

About the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services

CCTS is an independent, industry-funded consumer agency, with a mandate to resolve complaints from individual and small business retail telecommunications customers.

For further information: http://www.ccts-cprst.ca; To arrange an interview with Mr. Howard Maker, contact: 1-888-221-1687