Canadian Government Orders C$15M Penalty in Rogers Wireless Plan Misleading Advertising Case

Canada's Competition Tribunal has ordered telecoms giant Rogers Communications to pay a C$15 million (about £8.03 million) penalty for misleading advertising of its 'Infinite' wireless data plans.

The 28 October 2026 ruling also requires Rogers to publish a corrective notice and to pay the Competition Bureau's legal costs. It grants the competition commissioner's application under the deceptive marketing provisions of the Competition Act.

The dispute centred on advertisements promising 'unlimited' or 'infinite' data, even though customers received a fixed allowance of high-speed access. Once they used that allowance, Rogers significantly reduced connection speeds for the rest of the billing cycle.

Why 'Unlimited' Data Claims Faced Scrutiny

The bureau argued that Rogers promoted the plans across multiple advertising channels in Canada in a way that misrepresented what customers would receive. Its complaint focused on the limits on high-speed service, with slower connections continuing after customers reached the threshold.

In announcing its legal action in December 2024, the bureau alleged that speeds fell by more than 99 per cent. That reduction is known as throttling: the provider slows the connection, restricting how quickly users can send or receive data.

The tribunal ruled in favour of the commissioner on the merits of the Rogers wireless plan misleading advertising case. Its information note identifies paragraph 74.01(1)(a) of the Competition Act as the provision covering the challenged representations.

Jeanne Pratt, interim commissioner of competition, welcomed the decision in a statement dated 28 October. 'Canadians rely on accurate and truthful information when choosing essential services such as wireless plans,' she said.

Rogers Defends Plans and Considers Next Steps

Rogers denied making false or misleading statements during the proceedings. It argued that its plans benefited consumers and strengthened competition.

The company also challenged the constitutional validity of the statutory provision allowing the commissioner to seek an administrative monetary penalty. The tribunal permitted Rogers to amend its pleadings to raise that argument, but ultimately dismissed the challenge.

In a separate statement on 28 October, Rogers said it introduced unlimited plans in 2019 to remove charges for exceeding data allowances and give customers greater certainty over their bills.

The company linked the plans' launch to rapidly increasing data use and said removing overage charges represented a significant improvement for its customers. It maintained that similar plans were common across the industry and benefited consumers and small businesses.

'We stand behind our advertising and are considering next steps,' Rogers said.

How the Penalty Compares With the Bureau's Request

The Canadian Press reported that the bureau had sought a C$15 million (about £8.03 million) penalty alongside customer refunds, or C$135 million (about £72.30 million) if the tribunal considered refunds inappropriate.

That distinction provides context for the difference between the larger requested amount and the penalty ultimately imposed. The tribunal's public information note lists the monetary penalty, corrective notice and legal costs among the remedies ordered.

Full Reasons Await Confidentiality Checks

The bureau filed its application on 23 December 2024. The tribunal heard the case between 30 March and 1 May 2026, after investigators obtained court orders to gather information about Rogers' marketing.

CBC News reported that the full reasons were expected within 10 business days, matching the timetable in the tribunal's information note.

The reasons initially remain confidential while the tribunal works with both sides to identify private or competitively sensitive material for removal from the public version.

The case follows earlier warnings to telecommunications advertisers. In 2017, the bureau published guidance cautioning against attracting customers with promises of unlimited services that subsequently carry mandatory fees or usage caps.

Canada's misleading advertising rules prohibit false or misleading claims used to promote products, services or business interests.