Fuckem, happy I left them years ago...not a big deal but primus gives you 50 cents for electronic billing.
Bell Canada is telling Internet customers to switch to electronic billing by June 1 or face a $2 monthly charge for paper bills.
The decision to add fees for mailed invoices is “part of our ongoing effort to be environmentally friendly and improve the level of billing information,” Bell said.
Many customers suspect it’s a move to boost profits for Bell’s parent BCE, Canada’s largest communications company.
“If Bell is saving $2 a month by not sending paper statements to customers, you’d think it would deduct $2 a month from customers’ bills instead of pocketing the money,” says Marc Zwelling.
Offering a $2 discount to go to e-billing “would be a great marketing tool,” said Omer Cormier.
Bell’s email updates about paper bills, which began going out last week, have ignited a controversy about negative option billing.
It’s similar to what I heard about Direct Energy’s new water heater contracts (later withdrawn). People feel it’s unfair to impose new fees automatically if they don’t take action by a certain date.
Bell is giving people 60 days to respond. The legal minimum is 30 days, says spokesman Jason Laszlo.
Customers are told to go to Bell’s website and select only the box that says, “I want to receive an e-bill.”
If there is no contact by June 1, Bell says, “we will continue to deliver your paper bills and the $2 fee will apply.”
Telus Mobility and subsidiary Koodo already make clients pay $2 a month for paper bills. New wireless carriers, such as Wind, Mobilicity and Public, also charge for paper bills and in-store payments.
Rogers charges $2 a month, but only to new wireless clients and those who make price changes to an existing wireless plan. They’re told they can opt for free e-bills at point of sale, says spokeswoman Leigh-Ann Popek.
Bell has been charging wireless clients $2 a month for paper bills since 2009 and started charging new residential customers (with home phone, Internet and TV accounts) last December.
“We plan to extend this approach to existing Bell Internet customers in June. But there are no plans right now to bring paperless billing to existing landline customers,” says Laszlo.
What if you’re uncomfortable monitoring your accounts electronically?
Customers identified with a visual disability are not charged, Bell says. Rogers makes exceptions for clients who have “extenuating circumstances” on a case-by-case basis, Popek says.
Threatening to take your business elsewhere can be an effective tactic — since Internet service is a competitive market.
When Frank Woit told Bell he’d look for another provider if the change went through, he was offered a $24 credit on his phone bill.
“There are lots of choices out there, including going strictly wireless,” Woit said. “It’s sad to see these companies milk their customers.”
Online billing offers clients new account management features, Laszlo said, since it’s available immediately at all hours of the day and night.
“Based on experience with new residential and mobility customers, most opt for online,” he explained.
“Any savings we may see are reinvested in our networks and services. Communications is a highly capital-intensive business.
“Bell consistently spends $3 billion in wireless and wire line network expansions and upgrades — far more than any other communications company in Canada.”
President’s Choice Financial, an online bank, went 100 per cent paperless back in 2003. It soon offered the option of mailed statements for $1 a month — and still has the same fee.
TD Canada Trust is now starting to charge customers for paper bills and transactions using a passbook.
“Most of our customers see the benefit,” says TD spokeswoman Barbara Timmins, “About four in five new accounts choose paperless over receiving a printed monthly statement.”
Let’s be honest here. The environment isn’t the major beneficiary of paperless record-keeping.
Companies introduce electronic billing to cut their paper and mailing costs. Once they admit it, they can introduce incentives to make people switch instead of forcing it upon them.
Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca or www.ellenroseman.com
http://www.moneyville.ca/article/11...s-pay-2-a-month-to-get-bills-in-the-mail?bn=1
Bell Canada is telling Internet customers to switch to electronic billing by June 1 or face a $2 monthly charge for paper bills.
The decision to add fees for mailed invoices is “part of our ongoing effort to be environmentally friendly and improve the level of billing information,” Bell said.
Many customers suspect it’s a move to boost profits for Bell’s parent BCE, Canada’s largest communications company.
“If Bell is saving $2 a month by not sending paper statements to customers, you’d think it would deduct $2 a month from customers’ bills instead of pocketing the money,” says Marc Zwelling.
Offering a $2 discount to go to e-billing “would be a great marketing tool,” said Omer Cormier.
Bell’s email updates about paper bills, which began going out last week, have ignited a controversy about negative option billing.
It’s similar to what I heard about Direct Energy’s new water heater contracts (later withdrawn). People feel it’s unfair to impose new fees automatically if they don’t take action by a certain date.
Bell is giving people 60 days to respond. The legal minimum is 30 days, says spokesman Jason Laszlo.
Customers are told to go to Bell’s website and select only the box that says, “I want to receive an e-bill.”
If there is no contact by June 1, Bell says, “we will continue to deliver your paper bills and the $2 fee will apply.”
Telus Mobility and subsidiary Koodo already make clients pay $2 a month for paper bills. New wireless carriers, such as Wind, Mobilicity and Public, also charge for paper bills and in-store payments.
Rogers charges $2 a month, but only to new wireless clients and those who make price changes to an existing wireless plan. They’re told they can opt for free e-bills at point of sale, says spokeswoman Leigh-Ann Popek.
Bell has been charging wireless clients $2 a month for paper bills since 2009 and started charging new residential customers (with home phone, Internet and TV accounts) last December.
“We plan to extend this approach to existing Bell Internet customers in June. But there are no plans right now to bring paperless billing to existing landline customers,” says Laszlo.
What if you’re uncomfortable monitoring your accounts electronically?
Customers identified with a visual disability are not charged, Bell says. Rogers makes exceptions for clients who have “extenuating circumstances” on a case-by-case basis, Popek says.
Threatening to take your business elsewhere can be an effective tactic — since Internet service is a competitive market.
When Frank Woit told Bell he’d look for another provider if the change went through, he was offered a $24 credit on his phone bill.
“There are lots of choices out there, including going strictly wireless,” Woit said. “It’s sad to see these companies milk their customers.”
Online billing offers clients new account management features, Laszlo said, since it’s available immediately at all hours of the day and night.
“Based on experience with new residential and mobility customers, most opt for online,” he explained.
“Any savings we may see are reinvested in our networks and services. Communications is a highly capital-intensive business.
“Bell consistently spends $3 billion in wireless and wire line network expansions and upgrades — far more than any other communications company in Canada.”
President’s Choice Financial, an online bank, went 100 per cent paperless back in 2003. It soon offered the option of mailed statements for $1 a month — and still has the same fee.
TD Canada Trust is now starting to charge customers for paper bills and transactions using a passbook.
“Most of our customers see the benefit,” says TD spokeswoman Barbara Timmins, “About four in five new accounts choose paperless over receiving a printed monthly statement.”
Let’s be honest here. The environment isn’t the major beneficiary of paperless record-keeping.
Companies introduce electronic billing to cut their paper and mailing costs. Once they admit it, they can introduce incentives to make people switch instead of forcing it upon them.
Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca or www.ellenroseman.com
http://www.moneyville.ca/article/11...s-pay-2-a-month-to-get-bills-in-the-mail?bn=1
