More wireless customer protection needed: Wind

Wireless company Wind Mobile wants the federal and provincial governments to provide better consumer protection for cellphone users, including reducing early contract termination fees.

"All Canadians should be offered similar protection," Wind Mobile chairman Anthony Lacavera said Wednesday.

Wind Mobile said it has filed a submission to the Manitoba government's public consultation paper on improving consumer protection for cellphone and wireless contracts in that province.

Wind said it applauds Manitoba as well as Quebec for taking leadership on consumer protection in the wireless market.

"This is a great step in the right direction and we hope to see all Canadians enjoying greater protection from abusive practices of wireless carriers," Lacavera said in a news release.

Quebec has legislation that limits cancellation fees and stops companies from automatically renewing contracts.

And Lacavera also noted that a private member's bill was recently introduced in the Ontario legislature to end "unfair" wireless practices.

He cited a study noting that a Canadian seeking to cancel an iPhone contract after six months would pay about twice as much as an American. A U.S. customer with AT & T would pay $256, while a customer of Bell, Rogers or Telus would pay between $500 and $600, he said.

Mobilicity petitioned industry minister

Meanwhile, new wireless carrier Mobilicity has also asked federal Industry Minister Tony Clement to support legislation that would protect consumers from automatic contract renewals and from high penalties for early contract terminations.

Mobilicity recently said it's opposed to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association's position on consumer protection for wireless users in Manitoba.

"We deeply disagree with the CWTA's disregard for the need for more consumer protection not only in the province of Manitoba, but right across our country," said Mobilicity president and CEO Dave Dobbin.

The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association is an industry group representing wireless carriers