Customer grievances regarding phone, internet, and television services surged by 17 percent during the reporting period of 2024-25, according to a recent report released on Wednesday. The annual examination conducted by the agency responsible for managing complaints against Canadian telecommunications companies disclosed that it received an unprecedented 23,647 complaints between August 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025. The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) successfully resolved 86 percent of the complaints that underwent its resolution process.
Billing issues continued to dominate the complaints landscape, constituting 46 percent of all reported issues. Most of these concerns revolved around incorrect charges and missing account credits. The report indicated a 16 percent increase in billing-related complaints compared to the previous year, the highest in five years. The rising cost of living may be contributing to heightened consumer sensitivity towards billing discrepancies, prompting increased scrutiny over household expenditures, including telecom and television bills.
Complaints related to breaches of contract saw a significant surge of 121 percent year-over-year, with contract disputes accounting for a quarter of all grievances filed with the commission. The majority of these conflicts stemmed from promised features missing from contract terms, unexpected fees, or perceived alterations to agreed-upon terms during the contract period.
Despite a slight 2 percent decline in service delivery complaints from the previous year, service-related issues continued to be a significant pain point for customers, representing a quarter of all grievances. Over 10,000 complaints were lodged concerning service delivery problems such as intermittent service, complete service disruptions, or delays in installation or cancellation. The majority of service delivery issues pertained to wireless and internet services.
According to the Canadian Telecommunications Association spokesperson Nick Kyonka, the number of complaints received by the CCTS represents less than 0.1 percent of telecom service subscribers nationwide, emphasizing the vast scale and reach of Canada’s communication networks. He underscored that while an accepted complaint does not necessarily imply wrongdoing by a service provider, the industry remains committed to promptly and effectively addressing customer concerns and enhancing service quality and customer care standards.
The report highlighted that Canada’s three largest telecom companies continued to receive the highest number of customer complaints, with Rogers leading the pack, accounting for roughly 27 percent of all complaints accepted by the commission. Telus surpassed Bell to secure the second position in terms of complaints, with a notable increase of 77.9 percent from the previous year. Bell, with 3,966 complaints, also experienced a 15.6 percent uptick in grievances compared to the prior annual report. Notably, complaints surrounding breach of contract issues and billing discrepancies were among the key areas of concern for customers across these telecom providers.