Complaints from Canadians about cellphone, internet, and television services surged 61 percent over a recent six-month period, driven largely by billing disputes and unexpected charges, a telecom watchdog says.
The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), an independent telecom and TV complaints watchdog, handled 19,157 complaints about cellphone, internet, and TV services in the six months through Jan. 31, 2026. That’s up from 11,909 complaints during the same period a year earlier, according to its mid-year report.Billing remained the top concern in all service categories, with complaints over incorrect monthly plan charges rising 66 percent.
“Customers should check their bills regularly and compare it to what was promised in the service agreement. If a charge looks unfamiliar or higher than expected, contact your service provider right away and ask for a clear explanation,” she said.
The commission said 88 percent of accepted complaints were successfully resolved, up from 85 percent a year earlier. Most cases were settled within 20 days.
Wireless complaints accounted for 56 percent of all accepted complaints, with the most common concerns involving installation and activation fees, incorrect monthly plan charges, and roaming charges. Incorrect monthly plan charges alone accounted for 15 percent of all issues raised.
Complaints involving internet services made up 28 percent of all cases, while television-related complaints accounted for 9.4 percent.
By provider, Rogers and its subsidiary Shaw received the highest combined share of complaints, accounting for 34 percent of all accepted cases during the reporting period. Telus accounted for 16 percent, while Bell represented 13 percent.
Over the six-month period, 24,375 complaints were submitted, but only 19,157 were accepted for review. The commission said complaints involving pricing decisions by providers, infrastructure issues, privacy matters, customer service disputes, and concerns about advertising or operating policies fall outside of its mandate.
Of the 19,157 accepted complaints, 16,103 were concluded during the period, with 14,098 resolved. Most resolved complaints—12,447—were settled at the initial referral stage. Another 1,432 were resolved through conciliation with the provider, while 219 were settled following an investigation.
Since some complaints involved more than one issue, the 16,103 concluded complaints covered 30,928 separate issues, the report said. For example, a single complaint may involve both internet billing problems and roaming charges on a wireless account.
Overall, the number of issues raised in accepted complaints rose 37 percent from the same period last year.
Separately, disclosure-related complaints tied to contract disputes increased 25 percent, led by concerns over lack of consent or terms that conflicted with prior agreements.
