CRTC wants telcos to make roaming rates more affordable

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) wants the Big Three — Rogers, Bell and Telus — to make international roaming more affordable.

Per the Canadian Press, the commission gave the three telcos until November 4th to provide it with “concrete steps” they’re taking to respond to concerns about rising roaming costs. If the CRTC finds the carriers aren’t making “sufficient progress” on roaming rates, it will launch a formal public proceeding.

The CRTC said it found Canadian travellers faced “inflexible” roaming rates and wants to see providers offer flexibility and affordable options.

Currently, the Big Three all offer similar roaming options with daily rates for the U.S. and for international destinations. They also cap the number of days users need to pay for each billing cycle — roaming days beyond that cap don’t incur a fee, but the cap resets each billing cycle. Using your mobile network while abroad will incur a charge for a full day, even if you only need to place a short phone call or send a couple messages.

• Bell — U.S. $13/day, international $16/day, max 20 days
• Rogers — U.S. $12/day, international $15/day, max 20 days
• Telus — U.S. $14/day, international $16/day, max 25 days

It’s worth noting that the Big Three’s flanker brands, Fido, Virgin Plus and Koodo, offer similar roaming packages and pricing. And that pricing can quickly add up. Telus customers, for example, would face a $400 bill for 25 days of international roaming, not including any other charges like the cost of their monthly plan or device financing.

And the current rates are the result of multiple increases over the years. Back in 2017, for example, Rogers charged $6/day for U.S. roaming and $10/day for international roaming. Roaming prices have steadily increased, most recently with Bell and Telus in 2023. The increases spurred Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne to ask the CRTC to look into roaming rates.

Notably, the Big Three have increasingly added unlimited Canada/U.S. and even Canada/U.S./Mexico calling, texting and data use to some plans. These features mean customers don’t need to worry about roaming costs when travelling to those destinations, potentially offering significant savings for frequent travellers.

Elsewhere, the CRTC also said carriers must address domestic wholesale roaming rates, which are paid by other wireless providers when their customers travel outside of their coverage area. The CRTC said the agreements setting these rates are several years old and don’t reflect today’s market.

The commission wants providers to set new rates through “timely negotiations,” and if they cannot reach an agreement, the CRTC will set rates through an arbitration process.

Source: The Canadian Press