The end-users will be better informed on the offers of the providers of telephone services and of the providers of Internet access services, thus being able to make an informed choice. According to the draft decision submitted to public consultation by ANRC, the providers of telephone services will have the obligation to inform the public on the terms of service provision, and to issue detailed invoices to the subscribers, including a minimum information package.
The draft decision sets out the minimum information the telephony offers must include and the means by which these are to be made available to the end-users: both by the own means of each provider of fixed or of mobile telephony and by the ANRC diligence. Such information will be made publicly available by the providers on their companies’ websites, by posting it at their work stations, in easily accessible and visible spots, by means of the customer service department, or by releasing hardcopy, cost-free materials, upon the users’ request.
Furthermore, the users in search of information will be able to access the ”User’s Guide”, which is to be made available on a dedicated website by ANRC. Thus, ANRC will publish the fixed and mobile telephony providers’ offers, as well as the offers of the Internet access providers who so choose. Moreover, the website dedicated to the end-users will provide general information on the users’ rights and interests, dispute settlement procedures, recommendations on the criteria to be considered in view of purchasing electronic communications services, itemised by service category.
”Protecting the end-users’ rights has constantly been among the ANRC objectives; this draft decision may be considered a best practice code for the providers’ interaction with the end-users. Transparent and standardized information on services and tariffs will enable the users to choose the offers that best meet their communication needs and will raise user awareness of a wide range of offers,” the ANRC Vicepresident, Ms. Alexandrina Hîrtan, declared.
The commercial offers of each telephony provider will include, for example, the categories of services offered, the locations where their services are available, the charging method (per second/per minute), the tariffs charged, itemised by termination point/network, bonuses included in the respective offer, tariffs charged for additional services.
Also, the providers will have the obligation to post customer service/technical assistance numbers and to inform the users on the complaint solving procedure, on the compensation granting situations and procedure, on the fault repair services and on the technical assistance.
The detailed invoice, which is to be issued upon request, must include a minimum information package on the charging period, amount of the monthly rental fee and of the tariff per call/message category, cost-free facilities, as well as all the tariffs charged for additional services. The invoice will also specify the called numbers, date, time and length of the calls, as well as the tariff charged for each call/message.
The documents are available on the ANRC website. All interested persons are invited to send their suggestions and comments no later than August 18, 2006. Suggestions and comments may be submitted by mail, to the ANRC headquarters (14 Libertatii Blvd., 5th District, Bucharest), directly to the ANRC registration office, to the closest territorial office of ANRC, by fax, to +40 21 307 54 02 or by e-mail, to consultare@anrc.ro.