4. Complain to the CCTS

When you complain to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) you must tell them:

• your name, address, contact number, and your cellphone account number, if you know it
• the name of your service provider
• details of your complaint, such as what products or services are causing the problem. and the date the problem started
• what steps you have taken to solve the problem, including whether you spoke to your service provider and what they said
• what you think would be a reasonable solution to your complaint
• that you consent to the CCTS Procedural Code and the CCTS Privacy Policy

Review the problem

The CCTS will review your complaint and make an “initial assessment”. This means that they will look at the complaint to make sure it is the kind of problem they can solve.

Contact the service provider

Once the CCTS accepts your complaint, they will let your service provider know about it. Your service provider is given 30 days to work with you to try to solve your issue. Your service provider will contact you to discuss the problem during this time.

Investigate

If you and your service provider are not able to solve your issue, the CCTS will investigate your complaint. If the CCTS determines that your service provider met their obligations to you, your file will be closed.

While investigating, the CCTS will also try to mediate a solution between you and your provider. This means that they will go back and forth between you and your service provider to try and resolve the problem.

The CCTS remains neutral during this process. This means they do not take sides. They will try to get you and your service provider to agree to a solution.

If you and your provider are able to resolve your problem, your file will be closed.

Make a recommendation

If the CCTS finds that your service provider failed to meet their obligations to you and the CCTS is unable to mediate a solution, the CCTS will issue a “recommendation”. This is a written document that says what they think the service provider or you should do. For example, the CCTS may recommend that your service provider repay money that they charged you. Or they may recommend that the provider apologize for their behaviour.  

Often, your service provider will agree to pay if they receive a recommendation that does not look good for their case. Either you or your service provider can reject a recommendation.

Make a decision

If you disagree with the recommendation, you can submit a written argument explaining why you think it is wrong. The CCTS will use this argument to issue a decision. The decision might be the same or different from the recommendation.

When you write your argument, you should write in clear, straightforward language. Say which parts of your contract you think your service provider has violated. Include any evidence you have, such as bank records, that show improper charges by your service provider. You should also include a copy of your contract.  

If you accept the CCTS decision, your service provider must follow it. Once you accept the decision, you can’t sue in Small Claims Court, but the CCTS will make sure your service provider pays any money they agreed to give you.

If you reject the decision, the CCTS will no longer handle your complaint. But you can still sue the service provider in Small Claims Court.