Selling Speed: Reforming Broadband Advertising Regulations in Canada

Author

Yuka Sai

Organization

Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)

Published

2022

Summary

In 2012, PIAC published an OCA-funded research project comparing ISPs’ broadband advertising practices in Canada and other countries. The report, "Transparency in Broadband Advertising to Canadian Consumers”, made general recommendations about how ISPs can improve disclosures about performance claims in broadband advertisements and how various regulatory bodies can enhance their roles in supporting this reform.

This report serves as a refresher to the 2012 research, and finds that the 2012 recommendations still apply a decade later, but now, based on lessons learned domestically and from other jurisdictions and further consultations, this report provides more specific direction about what information best empowers consumers when shopping for broadband services.

In addition to recommendations, this report encourages further public consultations to gain broad input from all stakeholders, especially consumers, about the specific terms of new broadband advertising guidelines. It is suggested that these consultations would help regulators strike the proper balance between the amount, format, and clarity of information. This report concludes that the Competition Bureau, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), and the Advertising Standards Council (ASC), should all play complementary roles in ensuring consumers get the broadband services they pay for, perhaps with the Bureau spear-heading reforms as the regulatory body tasked by statute to regulate marketing practices.

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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

Contact information

Source: Consumer Policy Research Database