World Consumer Rights Day

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, OCU wants to put the emphasis on consumer complaints about telecommunications. Once again, the problems associated with telephone services generated many complaints. This year they reached a total of 38,000 complaints, being the sector with the most complaints after financial services.
In order to listen to the voice of consumers, a year ago OCU launched their application Protestapp, in which telecommunication is in first place in the ranking of protests.
This year, many consumers have used Protestapp to share with others their questions, complaints, unease regarding operator practices such as excessive penalisation, difficulty in unsubscribing, poor customer service, etc. Through this application, consumers have voiced their complaints and warned other users.

OCU wants to celebrate World Consumer Rights Day by bringing its experience in this area and by sharing some of its telecommunication content. To do so, we offer all consumers a free consultation with our legal advice service on Friday 14 to discuss any questions or problems in this area. The free phone, available to all citizens, is 900 813 210 and will be open between 09:00 -18:00 hours.
In addition, the OCU www.ocu.org website will offer three items of interest: our tool to compare telephone charges, our mobile phone comparator and our tablet comparator. With this, OCU hopes to be useful to all consumers who need to consult the best options in these three areas.

Finally, OCU wants to make a series of requests that it considers will improve consumer protection in telecommunications:
•  A great many of the complaints which the users are forced to make are due to the poor quality of customer service. These services still have no specific regulation requiring them to serve consumers and to guarantee their right to adequate information and effective handling of their complaints. Once again, OCU requests a Law on Customer Service.
• Premium rate SMS remain a constant focus of abuse and for misleading consumers. OCU calls for them to be disabled by default and only those consumers who want to use them, can request the service.

•  Greater control over aggressive commercial practices. Misleading offers from operators generate many complaints. Greater control is needed by the competent authorities to prosecute, punish and eradicate such practices.
•  Put an end to permanence clauses and unfair compensation unilaterally imposed by operators on their customers. They have become a threat which holds customers captive and does not allow them to benefit from competition.
For more information (media) Eva Jimenez Tel:   917 226 061
prensa@ocu.org