• UOKiK warns: Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa Sp. z o.o. in Warsaw misleads consumers.
• Company representatives claim they represent the existing service provider.
• They do not inform that the lower subscription fee is offered only for two months.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has received over 200 complaints about actions taken by Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa - a company which provides telephone services in a landline network. In connection with the information received, the President of UOKiK has instituted proceedings against Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa, and decided to warn consumers, because the company’s practices may lead to significant financial losses and unfavourable consequences for a big group of consumers.

The President of UOKiK warns:

• Representatives of Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa Sp. z o.o. in Warsaw claim they represent the existing service provider.
• They offer a lower telephone subscription fee, not informing the consumer, however, that the lower rates will be in force only for two months.
• Couriers inform consumers that signing documents is tantamount to a favourable change of the terms of conditions of the contract with the existing service provider. They collect all documents signed.

Such practices make it difficult for consumers to pursue their rights. – In numerous complaints, we have been informed that consumers signed the documents handed over to them, because they were convinced that the offer comes from the service provider whose services they were satisfied with. They would not have signed it, had they known that they were entering into an agreement with Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa – says Marek Niechciał, the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

Usually, consumers learn that they have changed the provider of the telecommunications services once they receive the first invoice, or after their telephone has been switched off by the provider, which has provided the telecommunications services so far. When they terminate the agreement with Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa, they are obliged to pay PLN 550.

This is yet another consumer warning issued by UOKiK Pursuant to the Act on competition and consumer protection, the Office issues a warning, when it concludes that an entrepreneur uses an illegal practice which may put a big group of consumers at the risk of significant financial losses or unfavourable consequences. Warnings are published on the website of UOKiK.

Additional information for the media:

Press Office of the UOKiK
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa
Phone: 695 902 088
E-mail: [SCODE]Yml1cm9wcmFzb3dlQHVva2lrLmdvdi5wbA==[ECODE]

Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL