Rogers Communications has announced plans to introduce a new charge for customers who use credit cards to pay their bills, starting early next year. The Canadian telecommunications company will implement a 1.6 percent “credit card processing charge” beginning on January 17. This fee will be applicable for both auto-pay setups and one-time credit card payments. Rogers stated that the charge will be incurred each time a customer settles their bill with a credit card, explaining that it aligns with the fees imposed by credit card companies.
The fee will not affect customers in Quebec or those on specific “specialized plans,” including former Shaw Mobile customers who transitioned to Rogers following the acquisition of Shaw Communications in 2023. Alternative payment methods such as direct debit, online banking transfers, checks, Rogers gift cards, prepaid cards, Debit Mastercard, and Visa Debit will not be subject to this new charge. Rogers emphasized that it is becoming increasingly common for credit card fees to be applied across various industries when paying by credit card.
In a related development, in 2022, Telus, a competitor in the telecom industry, sought permission from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to impose a 1.5 percent surcharge on landline phone customers paying bills with credit cards. The CRTC rejected this request. However, Telus proceeded to implement a 1.5 percent credit card fee for mobile and home internet customers, as the regulator’s approval was only necessary for landline services. Telus eventually discontinued this fee in 2023 following an agreement between credit card companies and merchants, enabling merchants to transfer the cost directly to customers.
