Rogers Communications was ordered to pay a $15-million administrative penalty after the Competition Tribunal found its marketing of 'Infinite' wireless plans created a false or misleading impression about unlimited data.
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Rogers Communications Inc. has been ordered to pay a $15-million administrative penalty over the marketing of its "Infinite" wireless phone plans.
The Competition Bureau filed an application with the Competition Tribunal in December 2024, alleging Rogers ads created the false or misleading impression that the plans offered limitless data, when service is severely throttled once a data cap is reached. A summary of the tribunal’s decision was released Wednesday, with the reasons expected to be made public within 10 business days.
The tribunal also ordered Rogers to issue a corrective notice and to pay the bureau’s legal costs.
Jeanne Pratt, the interim competition commissioner, said Canadians rely on accurate and truthful information when choosing essential services like wireless plans, adding, “Misleading advertising can distort consumer choice, erode confidence in the marketplace and disadvantage businesses that compete fairly.” Pratt said the bureau “look[s] forward to the tribunal publishing the details of its decision in the coming weeks.”
Rogers said the plans introduced in 2019 helped eliminate overage fees at a time when data use started growing, and the company said in a statement that it “stand[s] behind our advertising” while considering next steps.
The Competition Bureau had asked for a $15-million penalty alongside customer refunds, or a $135-million penalty if the tribunal decided refunds weren’t appropriate.
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