The National Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) is implementing a new and stricter framework for services and digital content that are charged directly to the telephone bill.
The new Code of Conduct was reissued by a decision published in the Official Gazette and significantly strengthens consumer protection against charges for services that they have not requested or for which they have not given clear consent.
The new framework concerns services with payments that are integrated into the electronic communications bill, whether these are services through special number sequences or digital content via the Internet.
Explicit and unquestionable consent
A basic requirement for the provision of such a service is now the explicit and unquestionable consent of the end user.
Before any purchase, the consumer should be clearly informed that the choice of the service entails a charge, as well as about:
The related charges should also be displayed separately from the rest of the bill charges, so that the subscriber can easily identify them.
Ceiling 20 euros per month
One of the most important changes is the introduction of a default maximum charge limit of 20 euros per month per service, excluding fees and taxes. The limit will be a measure to protect subscribers from excessive charges due to the use of specific services.
The regime for subscription services is also stricter.
Upon completion of each month of use, the provider must request a new confirmation of consent from the subscriber. If the user does not explicitly confirm, via SMS, within five calendar days that he wishes to continue the service, it must be deleted immediately.
Until the required confirmation is provided, no new charge may be imposed.
The subscription service also ceases when the user requests its termination, when he does not interact with it for a period of more than 15 days, or when a block is activated on the specific connection.
Activation with PIN and OTP
The new framework also introduces an enhanced authentication process. For each new connection, as well as for existing connections at the start of implementation of the relevant provisions, the consent status for the specific services is initially set to “FALSE”.
To activate it, the subscriber must choose the method of providing consent. The process can be carried out either via PIN and one-time password (OTP) or via the provider's application.
The OTP code should be unique for each transaction, have a limited time validity and consist of at least six characters.
After successful authentication, it is considered that the user has consented to both receiving the service and the related charge.
Full blocking capability
Subscribers also gain the ability to request that their provider block access to specific services.
There is even a "total blocking" option, which remains active and cannot be lifted except upon explicit request from the user.
In this way, consumers who do not wish to use services that are billed through their electronic communications account can block access altogether.
What happens when a charge is disputed?
Changes are also foreseen in the complaint submission process.
When the consumer disputes a charge, the complaint is submitted to the network provider, while for other cases the intermediary provider is responsible.
Providers must also inform the consumer about the progress of his request, as well as the progress of any refund process.
With the new regulations, EETT attempts to put a stop to unwanted or insufficiently understood charges, shifting the emphasis to information, confirmed consent and control by the subscriber himself.
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