Over the last few days, ANACOM has received a significant number of complaints related to a campaign being run by MEO which offers its subscribers an additional 2GB of mobile internet for use up until 31 August, at no cost. From that date onwards, extra traffic will be subject to payment. According to the advertised conditions of the campaign, subscribers who do not want to incur these additional costs as from 1 September should contact MEO.
ANACOM considers that the practice followed by MEO in this campaign, whereby subscriber inaction is taken as an expression of consent, is detrimental to the interests of subscribers and is incompatible with a range of legal provisions, in particular, as under Lei das Comunicações Eletrónicas (Electronic Communications Law).
On these terms, ANACOM has approved a draft decision (now submitted to the prior hearing of the operator) ordering MEO to comply as follows:
- Immediate cessation of the campaign as currently being conducted and the adoption of measures to remedy the situation.
- Communication to subscribers who have already been contacted informing them that the proposals for contractual amendment will only be effective where they explicitly give their consent in writing.
- Prohibition of the collection of any amounts associated with the additional traffic without the express consent of the subscribers.
ANACOM will proceed to a final decision on this matter subsequent to the hearing of MEO.
Consult:
- Determination to MEO regarding the campaign that provides for the contracting of an additional 2GB of Internet https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1416426
