Wireless Consumer Rights

Your Rights as a Wireless Consumer

As per the Canadian Wireless Code, new rules were applied to your account as of December 1, 2017.

What is changing?

Domestic Data Notifications

• Data Overage will be calculated at the Account Level
  • When your account reaches $50 in Domestic Overage Charges, all users on your account will be notified.
  • Users will continue to be notified at the subscriber level at:
    • 95% of in-plan usage
    • $300 of additional data usage
    • $500 of additional data usage
  • Only /Users in Overage will be blocked
    • Users not in overage may continue using in-plan data
  • Only the Account Holder or an Authorized User may unblock on behalf of your Account

Roaming Notifications

• Roaming Charges will be calculated at the Account Level
  • When your Account’s Roaming charges reach $100, all users will be notified & blocked from incurring further Roaming Charges
  • Only the Account Holder or an Authorized User may purchase a Travel Pass on behalf of users on the account past the $100 mark
• Account Holder will be notified when a user on the account is roaming

New notification method

• All users may now choose to receive their data block notifications via e-mail

Unlocking

• All Devices must be sold unlocked
• Locked devices can be unlocked for free on Bell.ca (no in-store unlocking)

Trial Period

• You can return your cellphone within 15 days, without penalty, if you are unhappy with your service. Use up to half of your allowed monthly usage during the trial period.
  • Persons with disabilities: You can teturn your cellphone within 30 days, without penalty, if you are unhappy with your service. Use up to 100% of your allowed monthly usage during the trial period.

What is an Account Holder?

• Definition
  • The Person who is legally and financially responsible for the account
• Capabilities
  • Today, Account Holders may perform certain actions on behalf of the account.  As of December 1st, Account Holder capabilities will be extended to include the right to:
    • Unblock data when account reaches $50 in Domestic overage
    • Purchase Roaming Passes past the $100 Roaming Data Cap
    • Authorize/de-authorize other users to unblock data on behalf of the account

What is an Authorized User?

• An Authorized User is a user on the account who has been designated by the account holder as someone who has the authority to:
  • Unblock data on behalf of the account when the account reaches $50 in data overage charges
  • Purchase Travel Passes on behalf of users after the $100 Roaming cap has been reached

How can users be authorized/de-authorized?

• As of December 1st, all users on your account will be assigned as Authorized Users
• The Account Holder may authorize/de-authorize any and all users at any time
  • Log-In to Bell.ca or your MyBell account to manage your account-level authorizations

Do you pay a bill after you use your wireless service? 

If so, you use postpaid services.

• to cancel your contract at no cost after a maximum of two years
• to cancel your contract and return your phone at no cost, within 15 days, if you are unhappy with your service
• to have your phone unlocked for free upon request
• to have your service suspended at no extra cost if your phone is lost or stolen
• to receive a Critical Information Summary, which explains your contract in under two pages
• to receive a notification when you are roaming in a different country, telling you what the rates are for voice services, text messages, and data usage
• to limit your account’s data overage charges to $50 a month and your data roaming charges to $100 a month
• to pay no extra charges for a service described as “unlimited”
• to refuse a change to the key terms and conditions of your contract, including the services in your contract, the price for those services, and duration of your contract

Your contract must

• use plain language and clearly describe the services you will receive
• include information on when and why you may be charged extra

Do you pay before you use your wireless service? 

If so, you use prepaid services, and you have the right:

• to cancel your contract at no cost after a maximum of two years
• to cancel your contract and return your phone at no cost, within 15 days, if you are unhappy with your services
• to have your phone unlocked for free upon request
• to have your service suspended at no extra cost if your phone is lost or stolen
• to receive a notification when you are roaming in a different country, telling you what the rates are for voice services, text messages, and data usage
• to a minimum seven-day grace period in order to “top up” your prepaid card account and retain your balance

Your contract must

• use plain language
• clearly describe the conditions that apply to your prepaid balance and how you can check your balance

 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Your Consumer Rights for Mobile Phones – Wireless Code of Conduct