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“Canadian cellphone companies are giving customers the ability to refuse mid-term changes to their contracts under a new wireless code of conduct.”

CBC News reported last month that the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association has made changes to the way that wireless carriers can make changes to customer contracts.  Customers will now be allowed to cancel their contract without early cancellation fees if their carrier makes material changes to that contract.

“In the case of such material changes that are unfavourable to customers, we either give them the right to terminate the contract without any additional fees for early termination, or allow them to remain on the unchanged contract,” the code on the CWTA website says.

This is only applicable to those customers that have fixed contracts, so pay as you go cellular plans are not included, but the code does include all carriers who have fixed term contracts.  Historically carriers have charged about $20 per month, for each remaining month in a contract, for the cancellation of a voice plan on their network.

“The CCTS will resolve and hear complaints and they will adjudicate against the code and, therefore, enforce the code,” CWTA president Bernard Lord said. “That’s one thing that’s very clear here and different from similar codes you’ll find in other countries, and that is that our code links to a third-party adjudicator.”

So far, the code has been signed on by every major Canadian cellphone carrier — including Bell, Rogers and Telus and their subsidiary brands Solo, Virgin, Fido and Koodo as have new entrants starting service within the next few months.

For more on this article visit the CBC News Story here:

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/09/01/cwta-wireless-code-conduct.html?ref=rss

Happy Contract Negotiations

www.saveoncellphones.ca

National Do Not Call List (DNCL)

Do telemarketers calling you on your home line bother you?  Do you hate those calls telling you that you have Won a Cruise or to Take a Survey?  Well in the next few months those telemarketers are going to start to have access to cell phone numbers.  Thats right, not only will they be able to bother you at home, but they will be able to get you on your cell phone or PDA.

Fortunately the Canadian Radio, Television and Communication Commission has setup a system to give you the option to opt in or out of these services.  https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/index-eng

From their website:

“The National Do Not Call List (DNCL) gives consumers a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls. The National DNCL Rules introduce new responsibilities for Canada’s telemarketers.

If you are a consumer you can choose to reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive by registering your residential, wireless, fax or VoIP telephone number on the National DNCL. You can also check your registration, find out how to remove your number from the National DNCL, and file a complaint about telemarketing calls. Please consult our frequently asked questions section to find out more about the National DNCL.

The National Do Not Call List (DNCL) introduces new responsibilities for Canada’s telemarketers. If you are a telemarketer you can use this Web site to register your business information, obtain and buy a subscription to the National DNCL, and download or query the National DNCL. You can also find out about subscription rates, file formats and other information in the Telemarketer section of this Web site.”

If you want to De-Register your number, here is the direct link so that you won’t be receiving any annoying telemarketing calls:

https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/insnum-regnum-eng

However, for the select few of you that enjoy those phone calls, please do not hesitate to keep your number active and you can listen as to how you can win that trip of a lifetime or take the latest survey.

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FURTHER DETAILS AND FAQs ON THE NATIONAL DO NOT CALL LIST

Source: CRTC Website: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/DNCL/brochure_consumer.htm

Have you heard about Canada’s National Do Not Call List?

You can sign up to reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive—and maintain your personal privacy. It’s your choice.

What is the National Do Not Call List?

Every year, thousands of Canadians raise concerns about receiving unwanted telemarketing calls. In 2006, the federal government passed a law allowing for the creation of a National Do Not Call List (DNCL) that all telemarketers must respect. When you sign up to have your cellular, home phone or fax number included on it, companies making unsolicited marketing or sales calls can no longer contact you.

How do I sign up?

Registering for the National DNCL is simple. Call 1-866-580-DNCL 1-866-580-DNCL ( 866-580-3625 866-580-3625) or log on to www.dncl.gc.ca and follow the few easy steps required. That’s it: your number will be on the List.

How long do I have to wait before my registration takes effect?

After you sign up, your numbers will be added to the List within 24 hours. Telemarketers then have 31 days to update their own information and make sure they don’t call you in their next round of solicitation. Don’t expect all calls to stop immediately, though. You could still receive calls within those first 31 days.

Is my registration permanent?

No. Your number will be registered on the National DNCL for five years. As well, if your numbers change, you will have to register your new numbers.

How do telemarketers know I’m on the National DNCL?

Telemarketers are required by law to subscribe to the National DNCL. Such companies register and pay fees to download updates from a secure website. It is their responsibility to ensure numbers on the National DNCL are not called.

What do I do if I get calls after I am on the National DNCL?

You can file a complaint with the operator of the National DNCL online at www.dncl.gc.ca or by calling 1-866-580-DNCL 1-866-580-DNCL ( 866-580-3625 866-580-3625). One important detail: don’t hang up if you get an unwanted call! To make a complaint you need to provide the name of the organization that called you OR the number where that organization can be reached, the date of the call and your own number. By law, telemarketers must give you their name and number.

Why should you learn more about the National Do Not Call List?

Your privacy is yours to manage: being informed will help you take action to protect yourself.

What happens to telemarketers who call numbers on the National DNCL?

New legislation gives the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) the power to assign penalties of up to $1,500 per infraction for individuals and $15,000 for corporations that do not follow the National DNCL rules.

Does being on the List prevent all unsolicited calls?

Being on the National DNCL keeps you from receiving most telemarketing calls, but there are exceptions. Registered charities are still allowed to call for donations, and certain other organizations—such as companies conducting polls or surveys, political parties, and newspapers looking for subscriptions—can also continue to contact you. As well, if you’ve done business with a company in the last 18 months, that company is considered to have a relationship with you and is allowed to call. After 18 months the company must stop calling if you’re on the National DNCL, unless you give permission otherwise. To learn more about exemptions, call 1-866-580-DNCL 1-866-580-DNCL ( 866-580-3625 866-580-3625) or go to www.dncl.gc.ca.

Can I do anything to stop exempted calls?

Yes. If you do not want to be called by an organization—even if that organization is legally allowed to call you—you can ask to be put on its own do not call list. Every telemarketer based in Canada must maintain such a list and respect your wishes not to be called.

What happens if I receive a call after hours?

Even organizations making exempt calls must abide by the telemarketing rules. Exempt calls that are made outside the permitted calling hours should be reported to the National DNCL operator, and the organization that called you may be subject to pay a penalty.

Will I be protected from phone fraud if I sign up?

The National DNCL applies to all telemarketing organizations. It does not necessarily prevent fraudulent telemarketing calls. That’s why it’s important for you to always to be on your guard: if you receive a call and are worried it may be part of a fraud scheme, contact the police

Sign up

Go to www.dncl.gc.ca or call 1-866-580-DNCL 1-866-580-DNCL ( 866-580-3625 866-580-3625) to register your number on the National DNCL. You can manage your privacy. It’s your choice.

National Do Not Call List at a glance

Remember:

Signing up is simple and quick

It’s the telemarketer’s job by law to check and respect the National DNCL

Some kinds of calls are exempt—the National DNCL does not apply in every case

If you do receive a valid call, the telemarketer has to follow Canada’s Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules

You may ask to be put on a telemarketer’s own do not call list at any time

Complaints can be made quickly and easily by phone or online—and any telemarketer found to be in violation of the law can receive financial penalties

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The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) launched the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) on September 30, 2008. Bell Canada was contracted to act as the National DNCL operator, and will be responsible for registering numbers, providing telemarketers with up-to-date versions of the list, and handling consumer complaints about telemarketing calls.

Here is Part 2 of the Top 10 Super-Cool Cell Phone Tips & Tricks from www.cellphones.ca.

Get Maps and Directions: Check out Google’s mobile website. Their mobile maps have much of the same functionality as their full desktop version, including zoom, satellite or street views, and the ability to plug in two locations and receive step by step directions.

How to let someone down gently: The Rejection Hotline is a fun number to give out if you don’t feel like sharing your digits. 703.912.1725 brings you to a very funny recorded message.

Photo Fun: If you are running on a GSM network, and 70% of the world is, then you can have lots of fun with short codes and pictures. Snap a picture of yourself, type <ANIM> in the subject line and send it to short code: 7799. You will receive back a photo that will morph your picture into an animal. Very cool.

No Service, no problem: Use 112 for emergency dialing, even if you are out of range or if your phone is locked.

Organize: If you like any of these tips, load them into your cell phone’s address book so they will always be handy. For example, I use the Google short code 46645 all the time, so I created a contact, labled it “Google” and for the phone number I just typed in the short code 46645. Now I can send a message to that “contact” any time I need to locate a post office, pizza, etc. I also have a contact labled “Free 411?, which I use anytime I need operator assistance.

These are some great features and really cool tricks.  Be sure to check them out, good luck and have fun!

(Original Article:  http://www.cellphones.ca/news/post002817/)

Check back to the site each week for new posts and tips and tricks.  Subscribe to the RSS Feed by adding your email address in the Top Right corner of the blog.  Have a great week.

www.saveoncellphones.ca

The following Top 10 list will help you get more out of your cell phone. Enjoy! 

(Part 1 this week, Part 2 next week!)

Learn “How To” check in for your Canadian Flights directly from your cell phone!

If you have a flight in Canada and you are looking for a great way to both expedite your check in process as well as save some paper, this blog entry is for you.  For the past 18 months both West Jet and Air Canada have been offering “Mobile Check-in” for their Canadian Domestic flights.

This means that from your mobile phone you can login to mobile versions of their site and check in for your flight along with getting an E-Boarding pass emailed directly to your phone.  This means that if you are a busy business traveller and you don’t have time to get to a printer before you cab to the airport you can save the wait in line by checking in from your phone.

These paper-less boarding passes are great for on the go travellers that are looking for ways to avoid the lines when they are arriving late from a meeting.  Here are the respective websites that you will need to access from your mobile device or PDA:

Air Canada: http://mobile.aircanada.com

(AC Demo Video: http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/traveller/mobile/mci.html)

West Jet: http://mobile.westjet.com

(WJ Demo Site: http://c5dsp.westjet.com/guest/webcheckin/mobileTour.jsp)

(Many US and Eurpean Airlines have Mobile Check In as well.  However, they appear to only be for domestic flights at this time and not for any cross boarder international flights. FYI)

“Introduction of the mobile boarding pass is a key element in Air Canada’s initiatives to use the most recent and secure mobile and 2-D barcode technologies to simplify our customers’ travel experience,” said Lise Fournel, Senior Vice President E-Commerce and CIO. “In addition to the simplification of travel and business processes made possible by the replacement of paper with electronic documents, we’re particularly excited about the expanded application of 2-D barcode technology that gives our employees better tools to serve our customers more efficiently.”
(http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2007/21/c3273.html)

I would suggest that you save some time and check out the above links from your mobile phone and save some time at the airport on your next flight.  Enjoy your time and be sure to come back to the blog soon.