Telefónica customers particularly at "bill shock" risk ⋆

Telefónica customers particularly at “bill shock” risk

A recent analysis of consumer complaints in the Consumer Centers shows that especially Telefónica customers run the risk of receiving increased bills. Telefónica bill shock

“On the one hand, Telefónica’s informational SMS does not contain any warnings about the exact costs that may arise. On the other hand, there is no automatic cost limit of about 60 euros, “said Per Prins, telecommunications expert of the market watchdog team of the Consumer Center Schleswig-Holstein. Customers of this provider will receive the following SMS text on board:

“Welcome aboard! Please note: For calls, SMS and data use in airplanes and at sea deviate costs to your current roaming option. The billing is not subject to an automatic cost-limiting function.”

“In our opinion, customers are not sufficiently informed about the exact costs with this information,” explains Prins. The other providers offer their customers on the other hand, according to the current state of knowledge, an information SMS with the exact price and a cost airbag. “The risk of unexpectedly high costs is thus significantly lower for these providers – if not excluded,” says Prins.

READ MORE: What is roaming and what isn’t?

“The question arises as to why Telefónica does not better protect its customers from such costs if other providers are able to do so. Telefónica should set an example for the other network operators and better inform its customers. ”

Roam-like home rule does not apply on the sea! Telefónica bill shock

Roaming at sea has been an issue for consumer centers for years. The abolition of roaming charges in other EU countries through the EU Roaming Regulation could not change this. Because the current regulations only work in terrestrial networks, ie on land. If consumers are not aware of this, then they run the risk of receiving an exceptionally high mobile phone bill by using their phone on board. The download of a single megabyte can already cost Telefónica 25 euros.

Mostly, a mobile network is available on board cruise ships, but this is made possible by satellite technology. The ships are equipped with GSM base stations, via satellite, these are connected to the terrestrial base station of a mobile operator. Depending on the roaming agreement of the own network operator with the respective ship network satellite network operator different prices apply. One MB can cost up to 30 euros.

Affected parties, who also have unexpectedly high roaming charges on their mobile phone bill, can report their case via the Market Guards complaint portal, thus supporting consumer market surveillance.