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ARTICLE · 06 MAY 2015

Rogers Agrees To $5 Million Refund For Charges Resulting From Misleading Ads

Smart & Biggar
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One of Canada’s largest telcos, Rogers Communications Inc., has reached a settlement with the Commissioner of Competition whereby it has agreed to pay over $5 million in refunds to consumers for "premium text messaging" charges to its wireless customers.

CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Bereskin & Parr LLP
Bereskin & Parr LLP
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One of Canada's largest telcos, Rogers Communications Inc. ("Rogers"), has reached a settlement with the Commissioner of Competition ("Commissioner") whereby it has agreed to pay over $5 million in refunds to consumers for "premium text messaging" charges to its wireless customers.

Following a five month investigation at the Competition Bureau in 2012, the Commissioner started legal proceedings before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against three Canadian telcos, including Rogers, and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (the "CWTA") concerning "Call to Action Representations", which gave the general impression to consumers that they were able to receive digital content such as ringtones, the chance to win prizes, news, advice, alerts, trivia questions and horoscopes for free when, in fact, they were charged more than standard text messaging plans.

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