Imagine spending seven hours just to cancel a simple internet service. That’s exactly what happened to Anil Sedha, a Winnipeg resident who thought ending his Rogers business internet would be a quick online task. But what he encountered was a customer service nightmare that dragged on for weeks—a maze of endless hold music, dropped calls, and frustrating transfers between departments. And this is the part most people miss: Sedha’s story isn’t an isolated incident. Dozens of Rogers customers have recently shared similar tales of woe, from long wait times to convoluted cancellation processes. But here’s where it gets controversial: Could the recent layoffs in Rogers’ call centers and the company’s growing reliance on AI be to blame? Let’s dive in.
When Sedha first tried to cancel his service, he found the online support link broken. A chatbot informed him that cancellation could only be done by phone. What followed was a saga of repeated calls, each ending in frustration. “It was a non-stop theme of ‘We are experiencing heavy call volume,’” Sedha recalled. No matter the time or day, the result was the same: hours wasted, unhelpful representatives, and calls abruptly ending, forcing him to start over. “How many days am I expected to call just to cancel a service?” he asked, exasperated.
But here’s the bigger picture: Sedha’s experience reflects a broader issue in Canada’s telecom industry. With Rogers, Bell, and Telus dominating the market, critics argue that the lack of competition has led to subpar customer service. Eugene Chan, an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, puts it bluntly: “These companies think, ‘Customers need us, so why bother improving?’” The situation worsened after Rogers’ takeover of Shaw in 2023, which further reduced competition. A Rogers spokesperson claims the company handles millions of interactions monthly and strives for a “great experience,” but customers like Sedha tell a different story.
Adding fuel to the fire, Rogers recently ended its contract with Foundever, a call center company employing hundreds of Canadians. While the exact number of layoffs remains unclear, former employees reveal a troubling trend: Rogers is increasingly relying on AI to handle customer service. Tools like Agent Assist listen to calls, generate notes, and even suggest troubleshooting steps—all while agents are monitored for performance. One former employee warns, “AI lacks the human touch. How can it show compassion when a customer is grieving?” Another points out that AI, unlike human agents, wouldn’t hesitate to upsell during sensitive calls.
Here’s the controversial question: Is Rogers prioritizing cost-cutting over customer care? While the company claims AI is “enhancing” service, customers like Fran Munro of Pender Island, B.C., beg to differ. Munro’s routine modem replacement turned into a billing nightmare, with Rogers creating a duplicate account and bombarding her with overdue notices. Despite hours on hold and countless transfers, no one could resolve the issue. It took an independent ombudsman, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), to finally intervene. Rogers apologized, reduced her bill, and offered a credit—but Munro remains frustrated by the ordeal.
Meanwhile, countries like Spain and Germany are taking action. Spain is drafting laws to ensure 95% of calls are answered within three minutes, while Germany mandates “two-click cancellation” for contracts. Canada, however, lags behind, with minimal regulations. Keldon Bester of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project (CAMP) argues, “Canceling a service should be as easy as signing up.” Sedha agrees, asking, “Why can’t there just be a ‘cancel’ button?”
And this is where you come in: Do you think Canada needs stricter regulations to hold telecom giants accountable? Or is the onus on companies to improve voluntarily? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation that could drive change. If you’ve faced similar struggles, Go Public wants to hear from you. Contact them at gopublic@cbc.ca and help shed light on these issues. Because no one should spend seven hours just to say goodbye to their internet provider.
