Federal regulator demands answers from Bell MTS over landline service complaints
Federal regulators are demanding answers and solutions from the bell MTS after several Manitobans have spoken out about their landline phone service which they call unacceptable.
The main landline at St. George’s Anglican Church in Crescentwood has been down since late April. Mary Smith, a parish administrator, said many parishioners there rely on that old school phone service.
“It’s been really frustrating, at this point, it’s hard for people to reach the Church,” said Smith.
Making matters worse, the phone line is connected to the church’s security system, so calls were rerouted to a backup line.
“And that line was going down as well and we were getting security alarms to the people who answer to them,” said Smith.
The Church’s service provider is Bell MTS.
“They apparently came and nobody seems to know what they did and we still don’t have a phone,” said Smith. “It would be nice if they could provide constant service, that’s all we’re asking."
The church is not alone. Other people CTV News spoke with are also having issues with their Bell MTS landlines.
Karen Kirk’s phone works now, but the West End homeowner said that was not the case three weeks during the first downpour of rain.
“The service became very crackly and it was difficult to hear,” said Kirk.
On top of that, Kirk said the system malfunctioned, inadvertently calling 911 three times resulting in a late night knock at her door to make sure everyone in the house was okay.
Joy Sutyla’s 84-year-old father has had a prolonged outage since March 8. He lives alone in rural Manitoba near Elma.
“I’m worried that I’m going to find him on the floor and he can’t tell me this,” said Sutyla.
Because of the number of complaints, the Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), which is the federal regulator of broadcasting and telecommunications, is demanding Bell MTS identify all landline quality issues in the Winnipeg area.
On top of that, the CRTC is requiring Bell MTS to provide a plan to resolve the problem, along with a timeline.
“These issues and outages are impacting their ability to contact 9-1-1 and essential services. Moreover, residents have been complaining of poor customer service, missed appointments, and that Bell MTS has failed to respond to service outages in a timely manner. Many of the complaints refer to deteriorating telecommunications infrastructure across the city,” the CRTC said in a letter to Bell MTS.
Bell, which owns Bell MTS, is the parent company of CTV News. In a statement, Bell MTS said the extreme weather events this winter and spring have caused damage to cables.
“We have called in staff from outside of the area and our technicians are working overtime to get customers’ services up and running as quickly as possible. As calls for repairs are up over 60 per cent, we have been connecting with customers who may be experiencing prolonged outages to offer alternative service solutions,” the company told CTV News.
Bell MTS also said to prepare for the flooding it sandbagged its infrastructure and deployed batteries and generators in case of power outages.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.