Email reponses directly to John Lawford: lawford@piac.ca - he's the lawyer for the case. ...
John Lawford
Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Suite 1204 - 1 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1N 7B7
Phone: 613-562-4002 x25
Fax: 613-562-0007
E-mail: lawford@piac.ca*************************************************
Re: Social Assistance and Telephone Service
PIAC (Ottawa) is preparing a case before the national regulator, the CRTC, regarding telephone/cellphone/internet regulation.
To better understand the impact on the poor, we are gathering information about current social assistance programs in respect of telecommunications services. We also hope to gather anecdotal evidence concerning the impact of telephone rates, deposits and collections policies, on the accessibility of telephone service to the poor.
We hope you can assist us by providing your feedback with respect to the following ten questions:
1. Do social assistance programs provide specific funds for telephone service?
2. What is the eligibility criteria to receive such assistance (eg health, age etc)
3. What is the amount of the assistance?
4. Does social assistance provide fund for telephone service deposits?
5. What are the terms of such assistance eg. repayable through overpayment recovery?
6. Does social assistance provide assistance to pay phone bill arrears?
7. What are the terms of this assistance?
8. Does social assistance provide assistance to avoid telephone/cellphone/internet disconnections?
9. What are the terms of this assistance?
10. Can you provide anecdotal evidence, relating to onerous telephone contracts, collections practices, or other factors with respect to the difficulties the poor face in accessing telephone service?
Please email your responses to: John Lawford: lawford@piac.ca
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