As part of the "ANACOM Alerts" initiative, launched with the aim of improving the information available to consumers on specific sector issues, focusing especially on the issues raised in consumer complaints, the following article was published on 1 May (in Jornal de Notícias) and on 8 May (in Correio da Manhã):
Suspensions of communications service
- If you do not pay your bill on time, your provider should send you a reminder after ten days, giving you written notice to make payment within 30 days.
- In these 30 days, you can either pay the amount due, make a written agreement to pay or contest the bill in writing.
- Otherwise, the service will be suspended, and 30 days later, your contract will be cancelled. If this happens and you are subject to a lock-in period, you may have to pay a penalty.
The suspension of communications service by providers is also the theme of ANACOM's "Consumer Tip", published in Jornal de Notícias on 2 May:
If you have an overdue bill, your communications provider may suspend your service. It is important to know that:
1. Before suspension, your provider should send you a reminder within ten days of the bill's payment limit, giving you written notice to make payment within 30 days.
2. To prevent the service being suspended, you may, within that 30 days, pay the amount due, make a payment agreement or contest the bill. If you want to contest the bill or enter into an agreement, do so in writing.
3. After these 30 days, if the bill has still not been paid, and you have not entered into an agreement or contested the bill, the provider will suspend your service for 30 days.
4. If you settle the outstanding bill within the suspension period or conclude a payment agreement, the service should be restored right away or, if this is not technically possible, within five working days.
5. After 30 days of suspension, unless you pay the bill, come to an agreement with your provider or contest the bill, your contract will be cancelled. In such cases, if you are within a contract lock-in period, you may have to pay a penalty.
Consult:
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Alertas ANACOM - Jornal de Notícias, 01.05.2016
(PDF 32 KB)
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Alertas ANACOM - Correio da Manhã, 08.05.2016
(PDF 3504 KB)
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Dicas ao Consumidor - Jornal de Notícias, 02.05.2016
(PDF 449 KB)
