TORONTO – (Reuters) published Nov. 6 2:21 PM EST
Canadians who wish to change television service providers will no longer be forced to give advance notice to the company they plan to leave, the television regulator said on Thursday.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said it also expects Internet and telephony service providers to end by Jan. 23, 2015 the requirement for 30 days’ notice.
Similar rules were put in place for wireless service in an industry code adopted late in 2013.
“In a dynamic marketplace, it should be easy for Canadians to switch providers given that service plans and offers are constantly changing,” the CRTC said in a statement.
The regulator said the move was the first decision to flow from a public hearing on the future of TV in Canada held in September. The CRTC is expected to make it easier for viewers to pick and pay only for the channels they watch.
