Better phone protection for customers

Thursday 02 October 2014

Islanders don’t have to put up with unexpected changes to their mobile, broadband or fixed line contracts anymore and now have the right to break them.

The Island’s regulator has ordered local telecoms operators to give customers more than two month’s written notice if they are putting up their prices and anyone whose not happy about it will have the right to break their contracts without being charged.

CICRA’s Chief Executive Michael Byrne said: “The changes we have made to the licences of JT, Sure, Airtel and Newtel give consumers the assurance they need to sign a fixed term contract safe in the knowledge they are able to terminate the telecoms contract, without penalty, if their service provider decides to change the terms during the contract period that has the effect of raising the cost of the contract. At the same time as giving notice of the change, operators must inform consumers of the right to terminate.”

Ofcom have been looking at the same issue in the UK and published its findings last year, confirming that UK consumers and small businesses should be allowed to exit their landline, broadband or mobile contract without penalty if their provider increased the cost of their monthly deal.