Canada - Rogers agreement with Competition Bureau nets record refunds for wireless consumers

Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers) has agreed to pay up to an estimated $5.42 million in refunds to consumers regarding "premium text messaging" charges on customers’ wireless phone bills. The agreement is the result of a Competition Bureau investigation of Rogers, Bell, Telus and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA). As a result of the investigation, the Bureau concluded that Rogers made, or permitted to be made, false or misleading representations to customers in advertisements for premium text messages appearing in pop-up ads, apps and social media. The Bureau also determined that wireless customers were charged by third parties on their wireless phone bills for premium text messaging services, such as trivia questions and ringtones that they did not intend to purchase and for which they had not agreed to pay. As part of the settlement, the Bureau will discontinue the legal proceedings against Rogers that were initiated before the Ontario Superior Court in 2012. However, the legal proceedings against Bell, Telus and the CWTA remain ongoing.

Read the press release.