Bell Canada sued by independent dealers in TekSavvy

Bell Canada sued by independent dealers in TekSavvy http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21301770 en Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:04:27 EDT Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:04:27 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21313197 infamouskid : there is no direct translation.
but to me it can be used as shit! or fuck! ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21313197 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:03:05 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21310549 anon : >There seem to be at least 5 types of retailers who sell BellER phones:
>3. non-BW but exclusively-BellER, e.g. BAKA

»www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=baka

baka
2. In Japanese, it means something along the term of "idiot" or "fool" In Tagalog (australian-filipino language), it means "cow".

Poor choice of naming a company in the internet age. Someone really need to do google search before registering a business website.

May be Bell has looked up the meaning and is treating them accordingly. :(]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21310549 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:03:34 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21310200 pnjunction : The part that screams unfair to me is that the retailers that aren't exclusive get better deals.

I guess Bell figures they need to be more competitive in stores where people walk in and look at the products side by side, whereas in a Bell-only store they figure they've got you when you walk in. Doesn't make it fair (what's the point of the exclusive agreement?), par for the course for Bell these days though.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21310200 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:06:42 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308789 elwoodblues : I know, I work for a Cat2 broadcaster, and am well aware of the hassles they need to through for carriage]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308789 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:19:21 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308404 nanook :

said by koreyb

:

I think this is more directed for stores like Telephone booth etc.

There seem to be at least 5 types of retailers who sell BellER phones:
1. Bell World, BellER-owned
2. Bell World, privately-owned
3. non-BW but exclusively-BellER, e.g. BAKA
4. independent, non-exclusive, e.g. Telephone Booth
5. independent, non-exclusive, not dedicated to wireless, e.g. Future Shop.

Presumably the terms and conditions between BellER and each of these varies. For example, BAKA's store fronts have a lot of BM signage which presumably BellER pays for in exchange for exclusivity. Presumably that tradeoff is set out in the contracts between them and so BellER would probably be justified to object if suddenly BAKA stores started to sell Rogers phones.

OTOH, since outfits like Telephone Booth are clearly not exclusively BellER dealers, BellER has no grounds to object if they want to sell non-BellER phones.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308404 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:05:45 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308217 koreyb :

said by Guspaz

The lawsuits claim over $200-million in damages, demand that Bell honour its current agreements, and seek the right to sell products from competitors like Telus, Rogers and new entrants in the mobile-phone business.

I think this is more directed for stores like Telephone booth etc.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308217 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:32:46 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308210 mr_hexen :

said by elwoodblues

said by eots

:

I love these 2 quotes from the article:

"Once we sign a contract, we expect that contract to be honoured, but instead, year over year, they make changes to it without our agreement," said CDAC vice-president Rick Umbrio.

"All we're asking is for Bell to honour their commitments and agreements. We want to be able to negotiate with Bell, put something in writing and they honour it, not change it on the fly."

Sound familiar? They don't honour contracts with their own customers or 3rd party ISP's either and make significant changes anytime they feel like it without notice. This is the same behaviour that triggered the CRTC complaints, so it's about time they got sued for it. I hope Bell loses! .

Bell has lots of money, they'll just drag the litigation on and on and on, till the plaintiffs run out of money, then go after them for costs

duh, they throttled indie commissions because there was congestion in their bank accounts.

If the CRTC can't see Bell for what they truely are these days then they should be dismantled.

Bell breaks contracts left and right. There is a clear message to how they plan to do business.

right now I bet the teachers are asking themselves "What the heck did we get ourselves into here?" LOL.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308210 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:31:46 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308091 milnoc :

said by elwoodblues

:

What category is your future channel?
If its a must carry, they can't charge people to watch it.

It's a Category 2 Digital. The channel will be called The Canadian Public ®, and will become Canada's first national public access television channel. There are no "must carry" provisions for a Cat. 2 license; I have to negotiate carriage with each and every distributor.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21308091 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:14:20 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307943 HiVolt :

said by elwoodblues

:

Bell has lots of money, they'll just drag the litigation on and on and on, till the plaintiffs run out of money, then go after them for costs

People's perception of Bell is getting more negative. I have witnessed people talking about how bad of a company Bell has become, from the throttling fiasco, the incoming messages charges, the dishonest people on the phone who just want to sign you up for contracts and upsell service, etc, etc, etc...

And most of those people weren't the techy kind that hang around these forums, but ordinary folks...
--
GO LEAFS GO!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307943 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:43:23 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307768 elwoodblues :

said by eots

Bell has lots of money, they'll just drag the litigation on and on and on, till the plaintiffs run out of money, then go after them for costs]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307768 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:10:51 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307760 elwoodblues : It's Bell(ER) Internet now :-)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307760 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:09:54 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307755 elwoodblues : What category is your future channel?
If its a must carry, they can't charge people to watch it.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307755 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:08:39 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307676 eots : It was the underhanded way that Bell implemented throttling on all 3rd party DSL ISP's that started this in the first place and there most definitely are comments about traffic management in the CRTC submissions as it relates to GAS and how it volates the telecomunications act.

I only hope the dealer suit against Bell is successful and it sets a precidence for additional law suits by other companies who deal with Bell. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21307676 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:55:26 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21306291 anon : The issue of throttling is not mentioned in any GAS tariff contract. Bell's case is that it (dpi/throttling) falls within the permitted network management parameters of the GAS service, and is therefore not in violation of the contract. There is no specific mention in it of common carriage rules, dpi, throttling, CALEA, etc.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21306291 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:32:29 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21306112 eots : There are written agreements between Bell and 3rd party DSL ISP's and not merely a verbal agreement and a handshake, but that still didn't stop Bell from changing the rules when they implemented the throttling without notification. Bell contracts are obviously not worth the paper they're written on. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21306112 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:52:11 EDT Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21305185 Sempronius :

said by eots

:

Sound familiar? They don't honour contracts with their own customers or 3rd party ISP's either and make significant changes anytime they feel like it without notice. .

Hence the very reason why both Bell and Rogers did away with written agreements a number of years back and strictly went to oral agreements, for their own benefit of being able to change the oral agreements to their liking and the customer has nothing to fall back on. It's your word against Bell and Rogers. At least with signed written contracts it's a legal and binding committment signed by both parties. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21305185 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:54:56 EDT Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21305106 Sempronius :

said by milnoc

:

I find Bell so untrustworthy these days that I don't even want to consider them as a potential distributor for my future TV channel. The channel is suppose to be distributed for free to all subscribers, but I'm worried Bell will start charging them through the nose for the channel and keep all the cash.

You have every reason to be concern. Bell is 3x more expensive than the competitor and Bell's only concern is how deeply she can dig into the pocket book of her subscriber's and how large a bank account she can acquire. Here's one less customer Bell will not be getting money from all in a few short days...]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21305106 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:43:12 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21304960 eots : I love these 2 quotes from the article:

"Once we sign a contract, we expect that contract to be honoured, but instead, year over year, they make changes to it without our agreement," said CDAC vice-president Rick Umbrio.

"All we're asking is for Bell to honour their commitments and agreements. We want to be able to negotiate with Bell, put something in writing and they honour it, not change it on the fly."

Sound familiar? They don't honour contracts with their own customers or 3rd party ISP's either and make significant changes anytime they feel like it without notice. This is the same behaviour that triggered the CRTC complaints, so it's about time they got sued for it. I hope Bell loses! .]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21304960 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:15:17 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21304674 matradley : Here's CBC's article -> »www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008···ell.html]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21304674 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:15:30 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21304672 BryceS :

said by Guspaz

Not all Bell Distribution Inc. Dealers sell under the Bell World name.

eg. Bob's Cellular]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21304672 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:15:17 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21303149 CanadianIron : This is a good strategy by Bell because the court case will take much longer and the deal will be over by the time anything comes of it.
Of course all of these allegations seem to be true and Bell has broken their own contracts, but they have good reason as it will help their bottom line.
Obviously a company that would do this has serious lack of ethics in upper management.
]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21303149 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:28:08 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21303050 nanook : Dealers sue BCE for breach of contract

quote:
BCE Inc, Canada's biggest phone company, was slapped with a C$200 million ($164 million) lawsuit from its independent dealers in Quebec and Ontario on Tuesday, with the dealers claiming BCE engaged in "abusive, arbitrary" tactics and broke contract agreements.

Identical lawsuits, launched in Ontario and Quebec, claim that the country's biggest telephone company breached a March 2008 contract in which it agreed to leave dealers' fees and commissions untouched until June 2009.

The suit also claims that BCE's operating unit, Bell Canada, continues to develop better relationships and more lucrative customer incentives with nonexclusive retailers and that its direct marketing plan offers better incentives, cutting into the dealers' ability to compete...

This suit is by BellER Mobility's dealers. When is CAIP going to step up to the plate and do the same thing to BellER Sympatico?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21303050 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:12:43 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21303046 anon : »www.p2pnet.net/story/17361
I spotted it here, it has a bit more info on it.

[snip...]
The association makes three allegations »»»

1. The company has ignored a commitment finalized in March 2008 to leave dealers’ fees and commissions untouched until June 2009. Bell is now refusing to pay compensation to dealers when their customers purchase replacement equipment and renew service contracts, as well as reducing other new customer commissions during the critical fourth quarter of the year. These fees are the essential lifeblood of dealers’ ongoing operations.

2. Bell continues to develop better, more lucrative customer incentives with its non-exclusive retailers - store operators like Wireless Wave, Cabine Téléphonqiue, Best Buy and Future Shop - to the detriment of its own exclusive dealers’ competitiveness, and in contravention of their existing contract with the company.

3. Bell’s Direct Marketing has and continues to offer better incentives and deals to customers than its existing dealer chain - further eroding the dealers’ competitiveness and customer loyalty to their stores.

As well as claiming more than $200 million in damages against Bell, together with a a reversal of all competitive measures listed in the suit and a commitment to honour the current contract, ICDAC is demanding the right for the dealers to stock and sell products from the likes of Telus, Rogers and other, new entrants to the telecommunications marketplace in Canada.

[snip...]
We believe that senior executives at Bell stand to gain huge personal bonuses when the takeover succeeds, if certain financial targets are met,” said Umbrio.

“And what better way to improve your bottom line than by illegally cutting dealers’ commissions and fees, and firing thousands of employees, which they’ve done over the last few months. It’s hard not to connect the dots.”

Continued at »www.p2pnet.net/story/17361

Yeeehaaaaw :p]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21303046 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:12:23 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21302791 Candoo3 : From the drift of the article, it would seem that Bell isn't honouring it's contracts with their indy sellers. I would tend to think that the indies must be on commission sales. Tied exclusively to Bell, it becomes a little bit hard to put food in your mouth, when the hand that feeds you, is giving it away to someone else. Perhaps what they have in mind, is that IF [they can PROVE] BELL has broken the terms of their contracts, the indies can escape from under Bell's thumb, less the Bell sign, to be more competitive. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21302791 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:35:03 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21302476 Guspaz :

Sorry, if you want to put the "Bell" name on your store, there's no way you should be selling competitors products. Bell stores are presented to customers as being Bell, and for an Espace Bell to want to sell Rogers services is stupid.

If that's the sort of thing the dealers think, that Bell stores should be allowed to sell Rogers products, then I can't help but wonder if the rest of their lawsuit has merit.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21302476 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:44:55 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21302206 drjp81 : Like my dad used to say, some people are so out of their minds, that the only way to get them to snap out of it is a swift kick in the a$$.

May this be "the one".
--
Cheers!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21302206 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:59:11 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301876 Candoo3 : I don't know how anyone, including the CRTC with the upcoming decision, could find any credability or integrity with this company anymore.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301876 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:57:31 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301860 daboom : Doesn't surprise me at all I hope more do the same.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301860 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:55:11 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301851 milnoc : I find Bell so untrustworthy these days that I don't even want to consider them as a potential distributor for my future TV channel. The channel is suppose to be distributed for free to all subscribers, but I'm worried Bell will start charging them through the nose for the channel and keep all the cash.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301851 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:53:45 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301790 R0CKY : Ouch!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301790 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:45:33 EDT Re: Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301788 Angelo_ : its a start :)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301788 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:45:17 EDT Bell Canada sued by independent dealers http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301770 anon : I guess Bell is tired of pissing off its customers and is now try to piss off it's business partners ... We are witnessing the implosion of Bell Canada ...

»www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet···ess/home]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21301770 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:43:16 EDT