N.W.T. judge approves $1M Bell Mobility 911 settlement
'You've done a great service to Northerners to bring this matter forward,' judge tells plaintiffs
An N.W.T. judge has approved a $1 million settlement in a class action lawsuit against Bell Mobility for billing Northern customers for a 911 service that doesn't exist.
James Anderson of Yellowknife and his son Samuel launched the lawsuit against the company in 2007 over its 75-cent monthly fee for 911 emergency phone service — a service that doesn't exist in Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon communities, with the sole exception of Whitehorse.
"You've done a great service to Northerners to bring this matter forward," Justice Ron Veale told the Andersons.
The settlement affects about 25,000 customers in the North who signed a contract with Bell before April 13, 2010.
People who qualify who are still Bell Mobility customers should receive a refund within the next 90 days. Bell is sending out cheques to those who are no longer customers during the same period.
Former Bell Mobility customers whose addresses have changed can email lawyer Samuel Marr with their current address. He has agreed to pass the information on to Bell Mobility.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bell is to pay out as much of the settlement as it can to customers, and any money left over will be donated to the Stanton Hospital Foundation.