Big Three split on adding credit card processing fees

Vancouver-based national telecom Telus found itself on the receiving end of ire from Canadians over its plan to add credit card processing fees to customer bills starting in October.

However, Telus isn’t the only Canadian carrier, and so far, the Big Three seem split on adding these fees. Rogers, for example, doesn’t have plans to add a fee.

“With regards to a credit card processing fee, we have no plans to move ahead with a fee like this at this time,” a Rogers spokesperson told MobileSyrup.

Bell, however, did not respond to MobileSyrup’s questions in time for publication.

Anecdotally, I’m a Bell Mobility customer and haven’t received any notice of incoming credit card fees. Of course, that doesn’t mean the company has no plans to add these fees.

Telus already sent notifications of the change to customers as well as filed a request with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to add the fee for select customers using specific, CRTC-regulated services — the majority of Telus customers will be subject to the fee regardless how the CRTC responds to the request.

Which, on that note, a CRTC response was expected in 45 business days but has not yet arrived.

Telus’ application received thousands of interventions from frustrated customers, and it filed a reply with the CRTC defending the plan, calling the credit card fee “just and reasonable.”

The credit card processing fee stems from a lawsuit against credit card companies over processing fees charged to merchants. Credit card companies previously barred merchants from passing the fees to customers, but starting October 6th, businesses will be able to charge customers who pay with credit cards a fee to recoup those costs.

It’s worth noting that none of this applies in Quebec due to the province’s consumer protection laws, although lobbying groups are already trying to get Quebec to change that.