Telecom Trends: Regulatory action plan

Friday, April 18, 2008

Regulatory action plan

I wrote last week about the expected release of the CRTC's agenda for dealing with social and other non-economic regulatory measures in light of the Minister's Policy Direction.

Yesterday, the CRTC issued its most current view of the action plan to address these areas. You can find the timetable in the Appendix to the decision.

The Commission rejected a somewhat bizarre call from the consumer groups to delay an examination of privacy issues until the government revises the national privacy law:

The Commission considers that delaying its review of privacy measures pending the federal review and tabling of amendments to PIPEDA would unnecessarily postpone consideration of an important matter that many parties consider to be a priority.

The priorities coming up in the next year:

Retail quality of service indicators, standards, reporting, and rate adjustment plan Mandatory disclosures in directories (e.g. terms of service, statement of consumer rights), billing inserts, and websites
Statement of consumer rights
Process for disconnection, late payment charge, dishonoured payment charge, deposit policies and toll restrict
Privacy safeguards and obligations