ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional das Comunicações has approved a listing of mandatory components for agreements with companies providing electronic communications networks and services and has released this information for public consultation. The aim is to safeguard consumer interests by including these components - which must be approved in advance by the regulator - in adhesion contracts signed with operators.
Regulator-specified components which are mandatory in these agreements include service designations, service quality levels, required time for start-up connections, maintenance service options, pricing specifications and means of obtaining information on applicable pricing and maintenance fees. Agreements must specify subscriber compensation or reimbursement systems in the event that designated service levels are not met, as well as the agreement's duration and its terms of service renewal, suspension and termination.
Other mandatory contractual components include situations requiring detailed billing statements, specific subscriber requests concerning the appearance of personal information in telephone directories and the inclusion of this same information in directory assistance. In addition, the service provider's identity and address must be provided plus information on how to start the dispute resolution process.
With this new line-up of mandatory contractual components, ANACOM, under the terms of the Electronic Communications Law, aims to guarantee high levels of consumer protection for customers of electronic communications network and service providers, promote the clarity of information and, in particular, demand transparency in public electronic communications service rates and terms of use.
In this context of protecting consumers and ensuring transparency of the information provided to them, the Electronic Communications Law states that companies offering public electronic communications networks and services must send their adhesion contracts to ANACOM, who is responsible for their approval. Moreover, these agreements must contain proof of prior regulator approval.
The regulator believes that the stipulation that contractual terms must be clear-cut and unambiguous will allow subscribers and users to make the most of their contractual rights with service providers and will also ensure greater transparency in electronic communications services.
ANACOM gives green light to PT Comunicações pricing
At the same board meeting, ANACOM offered no opposition to fixed telephone service rates proposed for residential customers by PT Comunicações. This was due to the fact that the -0.75% weighted change in the prices of fixed telephone service at a fixed location is compatible with the Consumer Price Index change of 2.75 percentage points, which ICP-ANACOM's resolution of 14 December 2004 kept in effect.
The new pricing goes into effect on July 1.
Consult:
- Guidelines for minimum content to be included in electronic communications contracts https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=419549
- Retail tariff of the telephone service provided at a fixed location (PTC) https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=419633
