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On November 23, 2023, CHHA staff participated on a consultation call with the Canadian Telecommunications Association and Wireless Service Providers (WSPs) involving ten organizations representing the interests of Hard of Hearing, Deaf and DeafBlind Canadians.
The purpose of the consultation was to continue the discussion associated with topics identified by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in a regulatory policy released in March 2023: Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-41, Mobile wireless service plans that meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities.
The new policy has the Commission directing WSPs to engage in regular, at least yearly, consultations with persons with disabilities and groups representing their interests.
The policy specifies three focus areas for WSPs:
- Wireless accessibility offerings, promotion, and customer service
- To assess whether wireless accessibility offerings are offered and promoted in a way that meets the needs of Canadians with various disabilities. If not, what changes are required to ensure barrier-free access to these offerings? [Policy Reference paragraph 38]
- Promotion of wireless accessibility offerings and customer service (Policy Reference paragraph 116)
- “Unfettered” access or use of specific services
- Unfettered access to VRS. WSPs are directed to take steps necessary (or maintain steps) to ensure that Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) sign language users are able to make and received calls through VRS in an unfettered manner. [Policy Reference paragraph 93]
- Beyond VRS – Use of other services or applications. [Policy Reference paragraph 105-109]
- Verification and Accessibility passport
- Verifying eligibility for wireless accessibility offerings [Policy Reference paragraph 62]
The feedback from participants included:
- More work is required on offering equitable plan offerings to the communities they represent. Most WSPs offer discounts to individuals with disabilities. That said, some users who rely on services such as VRS are impacted by data usage. In addition, some services like voicemail to text, require additional payment by the user.
- Customer Service (CS) channels and options need to be improved as well as training for CS staff as many are unaware of accessibility options available with providers and accessibility features on phones.
- There should be recognition of the needs of these communities, and the continued inequity that exists between their needs versus the unlimited access offered to those who are able to communicate differently, such plans that offer unlimited phone calls.