Despite all the talk about the Yukon’s shoddy wireless service, Canada’s national body for dealing with telecommunications complaints received “very few” complaints from customers in the Yukon during the most recent reporting period.
Emma Bédard, communications coordinator for the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), confirmed that only three complaints were received from the Yukon between September 2023 and August 2024. Bédard previously said that doesn’t mean that service delivery issues aren’t happening — it means that consumers aren’t filing complaints with the CCTS.
Meanwhile, Yukon government cabinet communications indicated they keep fielding complaints from Yukoners.
Cabinet communications provided the News another response to Premier Ranj Pillai’s correspondence calling on two telecommunications giants, Rogers Communications and TELUS Corporation, to follow Bell Canada’s lead by compensating Yukoners who have been experiencing poor coverage and service.
Pillai indicated both responses from Rogers and TELUS fall short.
Executives with Rogers Communications are reminding Pillai that the major telecommunications company in Canada doesn’t operate in the Yukon, nor does it have any customers based in the territory.
Rogers’ vice presidents Ryan Dunn and Howard Slawner responded to Pillai’s Sept. 10 correspondence in a letter dated Sept. 20.
Dunn and Slawner note that most Yukon residents are primarily served by Bell Canada and its infrastructure — not Rogers.
The letter suggests Rogers supports the Yukon’s moves to improve wireless service quality for residents. Although Rogers has no network in the territory, it helps small regional carriers acquire mobile radio spectrum to expand and make service better in Northern Canada.
“For example, Rogers has subordinated some of its licensed mobile spectrum in Yukon to SSi Micro Limited, Ecotel Inc., and ICE Wireless Inc. This has enabled these small regional carriers to provide much-needed wireless services in Yukon communities that were previously unserved or underserved and has increased competitive alternatives available to Yukon residents and businesses,” reads Rogers’ letter.
“We have also entered into similar arrangements with other small regional carriers in other provinces and territories.”
The letter also highlights investments the company is making across Canada, for example, by working with low orbit satellite providers (Lynk Global and Space X) to launch satellite-to-mobile services across the country. The satellites allow for satellite-based connectivity to Rogers customers’ mobile smartphones. The new service is expected to provide coverage in rural and remote areas where coverage is not currently available.
“The new service will also provide access over time to emergency 9-1-1 services to all Canadians, even those who are not customers of Rogers. We are especially excited about the opportunity of extending these services to Yukon residents and all other communities in Canada’s northern region, where terrestrial networks are challenging to build and maintain,” the Rogers executives wrote.
The letter fails to mention a timeline for bringing these services to the territories.
As reported by the News, TELUS is inviting Yukon-based customers to provide their feedback through a new dedicated website so TELUS can gather and address issues experienced by customers in the Yukon, according to the TELUS executive’s response to the premier.
Customers who complete an online questionnaire will get a credit towards their next TELUS device purchase, per TELUS.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
