A person uses a cell phone in Ottawa, Monday, July 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Canada's telecom regulator has called on the country's major cellphone providers to lower their international roaming fees. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has given BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., and Telus Corp. until November 4 to outline the specific actions they will take to address the high roaming charges Canadians face when traveling abroad.
The CRTC warned that if these companies do not show enough progress in reducing fees, it may initiate a formal public review.
"Canadians need to stay connected while traveling, but they often return home to steep cellphone bills," said CRTC chairperson Vicky Eatrides in a statement. "We are taking steps to lower these costs and will launch a public process if the concerns aren't resolved."
The issue gained attention last year when Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne urged the CRTC to investigate rising roaming fees, especially as rates in other countries are falling. This came after both Telus and Bell increased their U.S. and international roaming charges in March 2023. Telus now charges $14 per day for U.S. roaming (up from $12) and $16 for other destinations (up by $1). Bell customers now pay $13 daily in the U.S. and $16 elsewhere, while Rogers charges $12 for U.S. roaming and $15 internationally.
The CRTC's review, based on confidential company data, public information, and research, found that Canadian travelers are often stuck with rigid roaming plans, regardless of how much they actually use their phones abroad. The commission stressed the need for more affordable and flexible options for Canadians.
Additionally, the regulator said that cellphone carriers must also address domestic wholesale roaming fees — the rates companies pay each other when customers roam outside their network’s coverage area. These agreements, some of which are several years old, no longer reflect current market conditions. The CRTC is urging providers to renegotiate these rates, warning that if an agreement isn’t reached, it will step in to set the fees through arbitration.
