Warning to Operators: There Are No 'New' and 'Old' Users, All Must Be Treated Equally

(Patria) - Following numerous complaints from telecommunications service users, the Communications Regulatory Agency (Agency) reminds telecommunications operators that after the expiry of the contractual period, all users have the right to enter into a new contractual relationship under the same contractual terms. Different treatment of requests for concluding a subscription agreement constitutes discrimination against users.

"According to complaints, operators refuse to conclude contracts under the terms of promotional offers for „old“ users whose contractual period has expired, and with them they conclude new contracts under significantly less favourable conditions than they do with „new users“. In this way, the Agency draws operators' attention to the fact that there is no so-called „new“ or „old“ user, but all users of telecommunications services must be treated equally. This business practice contains elements of unfair competition with the primary goal of attracting users from other operators, not based on criteria of quality and content of service, but solely on the basis of unrealistically offered benefits.

The Agency has ordered operators to immediately align their business offers in a way that enables all users the same benefits and to cease this business practice, otherwise the Agency will take appropriate measures. This does not apply to users whose mandatory service usage period is still ongoing," the RAK notes.