(Ottawa) The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has denied a request by Telus to add processing fees for payments made with a card in two provinces.
The federal telecommunications regulator says the request applied to services it regulates, typically home phone services in some smaller communities.
Telus had asked the CRTC to approve charges for credit card payments made in Alberta and British Columbia for regulated home phone services.
Earlier this year, the companies won the right to add a surcharge, which they must clearly disclose, to credit card transactions following the settlement of a class action lawsuit against Mastercard, Visa and Canadian banks.
Telus began charging 1.5% fees to customers paying by credit card in October in areas where services are not regulated by the CRTC, including its wireless and internet customers outside Quebec.
In Quebec, the province’s Consumer Protection Act prohibits the application of this type of additional charge.
The CRTC noted that while Telus did not need its approval to add the surcharge to unregulated services, it is concerned about this practice as it goes against affordability and the interests of consumers. .
Telus had first filed an application in August for permission to add a 1.5% processing fee to its terms of service.
In its application, Telus said the surcharge was to cover credit card payment processing fees.