Jan 14/08: Peter Julian, MP: Telus is "price gouging" with their new Long Distance Network Access Fee ...

Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian, along with a trio of concerned seniors, challenged Telus CEO Darren Entwhistle to cancel a new long distance fee this week.

At a press conference Wednesday, Julian called the new Long Distance Network Access Fee “price gouging” that will impact seniors and others on limited incomes.

Telus recently introduced the $2.95 long distance fee for customers who use long distance but don’t have a plan.

“What Telus is doing is imposing $2.95 on citizens for nothing,” said Julian.

“I’m calling on Telus to stop being Scrooge and take off this appallingly unfair fee.”

Julian also questioned the necessity of Telus charging the access fee in light of the company’s 2007 third-quarter net profits of $410 million.

“It simply goes into the bottom line to increase their profits,” said Julian.

Burnaby senior Lorraine Browne slammed the new Long Distance Access Fee in a NewsLeader story in October, ultimately deciding to cancel her Telus service rather than pay the fee.

Other seniors spoke out against the new fee Wednesday, including Arthur Kube, acting president of the Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC (COSCO).

“They’re gouging us for close to $3 a month for a service we already pay for,” said Kube.

Kube blamed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission—which has opted not to regulate the price and terms of service of local residential phone service—for allowing Telus to introduce the fee.

“The CRTC should reverse its position and ensure customers aren’t gouged,” said Kube.

But Telus spokesman Shawn Hall said the MP and local seniors are misleading the public about a routine fee increase.

“It would have been nice if they’d actually gotten their facts straight,” said Hall.

Hall ruled out the possibility of Telus eliminating the fee, calling it a reasonable fee increase that helps the phone company cover the cost of providing long distance services, with the company spending more than $2 billion in infrastructure investments in 2007 and 2008.

“It’s not inexpensive to maintain our customers’ access to the network.”

The Long Distance Network Access Fee is just one option customers can choose from, added Hall. Users can opt for a long distance plan that comes with a $4.95 system access fee, or have the fee waived by choosing the call guardian feature which blocks access to long distance from phones.

“The fee only applies to people who use long distance and don’t have a plan,” said Hall.

Customers who make at least 10 minutes of non-local calls per month would likely save money with a plan, Hall added.

Should Telus choose not to cancel the fee, Julian said he would pursue the issue with the CRTC and in the House of Commons.