Telecom says it is willing to pay ‘reasonable charges and rejoin CCTS’
By Ahmad Hathout
Small ISP InnSys Inc. is calling on the CRTC to institute changes at the chief complaints watchdog for telecom and broadcasting matters, a year after it was expelled for failing to comply with some terms of its membership.
The Ontario-based provider of internet, IPTV and home phone services filed Part 1 application made public late last month asking the regulator to consider implementing four changes on the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS): make the watchdog implement a “clear and transparent system that allows ISPs to dispute charges, particularly those that are unfair or irrelevant;” streamline its complaint process and avoid burdensome timelines; reassess its fee structure so it doesn’t burden smaller ISPs; and give ISPs the flexibility to manage how they market the CCTS’s services on their websites, including by allowing them to simply provide a link the watchdog’s website instead of allowing the organization to dictate how and where their materials are displayed.
On November 1, 2023, InnSys was expelled from CCTS membership – a requirement of the CRTC – for failure to comply with the watchdog’s public awareness plan requirements, failure to provide required financial information, and failure to pay CCTS invoices. The CCTS, which referred to the company to the CRTC for enforcement action, said it had been trying to communicate with the company about non-compliance since 2018.
InnSys’s President and CEO Praba Gunam says in the Part 1 application that the small telecom initially stopped paying CCTS fees “as a form of protest because we had no viable alternatives to escalate our concerns,” including allegedly not being provided adequate mechanisms to dispute issues. The company says it never intended to avoid its responsibilities or withdraw permanently from the CCTS. “We value the purpose of CCTS and have always wanted to be a part of it, but our concerns about unfair practices remain unresolved.”
The specific issues outlined by InnSys in its short five-page application include the CCTS requiring it to display the watchdog’s promotional information on its website despite claims its reputation has been damaged by the organization.
For example, it said it was fined $175 for a customer phone number deactivation that was allegedly a result of an unrelated reseller not paying its bill. “Even though we demonstrated our innocence, the charge was not reversed,” the application says, adding there are “many” other issues unrelated to payment. “This underscores the need for a fairer system, where ISPs are not penalized for issues beyond their control.
“Publicly announcing penalties or assigning blame without due process is particularly detrimental to smaller ISPs like ours,” the applications adds. “While the CCTS claims to be a non-profit, its behavior often appears driven by revenge, retaliatory actions, and profit-oriented motives, undermining fair oversight principles.”
InnSys says it is willing to pay reasonable charges and rejoin CCTS, “but we cannot accept unfair fees like this.”
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for the CCTS said it is reviewing the application and will response through the regulatory process. “The CCTS’ goal is to ensure that all service providers play by the rules, so that the issues that customers experience are promptly and fairly addressed,” the spokesperson said.
