Telecom companies threatened with fines unless they provide critical information to clients

Joi, 5 februarie 2009, 14:32 English | Business

Wired and mobile telephony operators, as well as Internet service providers may receive fines between 10,000 RON (some 2,500 Euros) and 5% of their business figure in case they don't provide their clients a compulsory set of information related to prices and services they offer, a decision adopted on Thursday by the telecom authority, ANC, says. Among others, operators have to post a set of rights of clients in all sales points, the implementation of this decision being subject to unannounced controls of the ANC inspectors.

ANC received some 3,500 demands and petitions from clients of such services in 2008. ANC president Liviu Nistoran says that this is just the tip of the iceberg, many petitions being submitted directly to the operators or  the Consumer Protection Agency (ANPC).

Before any contract between clients and service providers is signed, clients must receive a minimum set of information including the pricing plan for the contract duration and included services, with all taxes included, fees for national phone calls, fees for "prime time" calls and for calls during other hours, the minimum duration of the contract and the penalties to be supported by the clients in case they denounce the contract before term.

Users must be allowed to consult the contract before signing it, be briefed the solving procedures for petitions, be informed via text messages on the default prolonging of the contract and the deadline for notifying the contract denouncing, be informed on their rights at all sales points and receives a minimum on information in their detailed bills.