New CRTC rules aim to make internet plans easier to understand

Starting next year, Canadian internet service providers (ISPs) will need to offer customers clearer information about internet plans.

Following a public hearing and consultations, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced changes coming to the Telecommunications Act and the Internet Code that will impact the types of information ISPs must share with customers about service plans.

The changes aim to clarify details like internet speeds and plan prices. Moreover, the CRTC says the changes will “help empower Canadians to cut through the marketing of “up to” speeds and time-limited discounted pricing.”

ISPs will need to show the internet speeds consumers will actually receive and show clear pricing information. Specifically, internet contracts will need to explain the “typical download and upload speeds” as well as the latency range customers can expect from their service.

That means instead of selling plans based on the theoretical top speeds, ISPs will need to share the expected upload and download speeds during peak usage hours.

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Another change ISPs will need to make is explicitly showing the regular price of internet plans after promotional discounts end. Notably, many ISPs already show this information, but the CRTC is requiring that it be displayed “with equal or greater prominence compared to discounted pricing” rather than as tiny fine print, as is often the case now. This change should help reduce instances of bill shock when discounts expire.

Elsewhere, the CRTC tackled the question of standardized labels for internet plans. On the one hand, the commission liked the idea of standardized labels, but decided not to make them a requirement, saying that they weren’t necessary as long as ISPs display information in a “clear and prominent way.”

However, the CRTC did find merit in ISPs making information available in a standardized, machine-readable format, saying it would “encourage the creation of better tools to compare plans for the benefit of consumers.” The commission also noted that making information available this way would be “a minor additional step” and not overly burdensome for providers.

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Other changes ISPs will need to make include prominently displaying equipment rental fees, such as for modems or routers, adding measurement methodologies to their websites, and more.

Most of these changes will come into effect on March 10, 2027, though ISPs will have until Sept. 10, 2027, for select rules, such as the machine-readable formats.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether carriers actually follow any of these rules. Earlier this year, the CRTC prohibited carriers from charging certain junk fees, leading Rogers, Bell, and Telus to roll out new junk fees they claim don’t violate the rules.

Source: CRTC