Accessible wireless plans
We have put measures in place to make it easier for you to find and subscribe to accessible wireless plans that work for you. Cellphone companies in Canada must:
- Offer plans, on all their brands, that meet the needs of persons with disabilities. They are also expected to offer meaningful rebates or extra data for accessible plans to make them more affordable.
- Make sure their accessible wireless plans meet the needs of their customers through regular consultations with persons with disabilities. They are also encouraged to provide financial support for these consultations.
- Send the CRTC a report every year about their consultations and their accessible plan offerings – starting in June 2023. These reports must be in an accessible format and will be made publicly available on this page.
- Make sure that Video Relay Service (VRS) users can make and receive VRS calls on the same basis that hearing Canadians can make and receive voice calls. This includes equitable access to 9-1-1 services for VRS users. They are also expected to ensure that access to other accessibility apps or features is not limited by how they manage their networks.
If they choose to verify whether a customer qualifies for an accessible plan, cellphone companies should make the verification process as easy as possible. They are also encouraged to create a common record so that once a customer verifies with one provider, they can easily switch to another.
Read our policy about mobile wireless service plans that meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities (Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-41)
Related information
- Modern telecommunications services – The path forward for Canada's Digital Economy (Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2016-496)
- Consultation on mobile wireless service plans that meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-178)
- ASL: content of the consultation on mobile wireless service plans (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-178)
- Getting your communication bills and other information in paper and accessible formats
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