Rogers fined $15 million over ‘deceptive’ unlimited plan ads

Canada’s Competition Bureau ordered Rogers to pay a $15 million penalty related to how the company marketed its ‘Infinite’ wireless plans.

The bureau began probing Rogers over those plans back in 2023, raising issues with how the company positioned the plans as having unlimited data when the plans also apply speed reductions — known as throttling — after a certain amount of use.

“Today, the Competition Tribunal released its decision in the Bureau’s case against Rogers and ordered the company to pay a $15 million penalty in connection with the marketing of its Infinite wireless plans,” said Jeanne Pratt, Interim Commissioner of Competition, in a statement.

“The Bureau alleged that Rogers engaged in deceptive marketing by advertising its Infinite wireless plans as offering unlimited data despite a significant reduction in speed after using a set amount.”

Along with the fine, the Tribunal ordered Rogers to publish a corrective notice and pay the Bureau’s legal costs. The full reasoning behind the Tribunal’s decision is expected to be released within 10 business days.

“Canadians rely on accurate and truthful information when choosing essential services such as wireless plans. Misleading advertising can distort consumer choice, erode confidence in the marketplace, and disadvantage businesses that compete fairly,” Pratt said.

Interestingly, the bureau initially sought a $15 million penalty along with customer refunds, or a $135 million penalty with no refunds. However, the Tribunal seems to have settled on the $15 million penalty with no customer refunds.

Rogers published a statement about the decision on its website:

“We introduced unlimited data plans in 2019 to deliver great value to our customers. These plans eliminated overage fees and gave our customers bill certainty at a time when data use started​ growing exponentially. These plans are commonplace in the industry and reflected a significant and positive development for consumers and small businesses. We stand behind our advertising and are considering next steps.”

It also remains to be seen what impact, if any, this will have on the wider telecom industry. After all, Bell and Telus both offer their own ‘unlimited’ plans with throttling, as do smaller providers like Freedom Mobile.