1(d) Collection of Information in respect to PRS and DCB?

1(e) Are there any other major issues that have not been referred to in section 2 – ‘General Overview’ that should be considered in this report?

Do you have any specific observations on the consumer protection measures as set out in section 3? Please clearly reference the measure and paragraph number when responding to this question.

3(a) Are you of the opinion BEREC should amend, add or delete definitions contained in Annex 1? Please detail the changes you suggest and explain your answer.

3(b) Are you of the opinion BEREC should add other European or International Reports/Studies/Position Papers to the literature list contained in Annex 3? If so, please specify the URL where they can be found.

Question 11.B about obligation to provide detailed bill for premium rate services and question 12.B about obligation to provide detailed bill for direct carrier billing.

Question 25.C : NRAs/competent authorities were asked that if there is an obligation to provide a cancellation period whereby end-users can withdraw from PRS and/or DCB subscription services, how do end-users make this request.

Two (2) NRAs responded (IT, PT). One NRA (PT) confirmed that the request can be made through a customer area only (i.e. self-care application, personal area via website) and the other NRA indicated requests could be processed through both a customer area and customer support (telephone, email, chat, etc.).

Question 30.A: Would you consider the following issues as a major issue mentioned in complaints regarding third party billing?





-Charging issues PR: DK, IT
-Fraud PR: DK, MT, PT
-Consent Issues PR: DE, DK, ES, HU, MT, PL
-Refund issues PR: CZ, DK, EE, HR, HU, MT, PT
-Cancellation Issues PR: CZ, DE, DK, ES, FR, HR, IT, MK, MT, PL
-Lack of information before ordering PR: BE, CZ, DK, ES, HR, IT, MT, PL, PT, XK
-Mistake PR: DK, EE, ES, FR, HR, IT, MK, MT, PT
-Lack of billing transparency PR: BE, CZ, DK, EE, ES, HR, IT, MK, MT, PL, PT, XK
-Charging issues DCB: IT, XK
-Fraud DCB: PL, XK
-Consent Issues DCB: PL, XK
-Refund issues DCB: CZ, XK
-Cancellation Issues DCB: CZ, DK, IT, PL, XK
-Lack of information before ordering DCB: CZ, IT, PL, XK
-Mistake DCB: DK, ES, IT, PT, XK
-Lack of billing transparency DCB: CZ, DK, ES, IT, PL, XK
 

Footnotes:

[1] Note that although DCB services are made available by mobile service operators in the majority of countries, four (4) respondents reported that this is not the case in their country.

[2] See section “3.2 Complaints” of the present Report.

[3] Please note that PRS are a subset of Value Added Services. A description of Value Added Services can be found in Section 4 of the BEREC input on EC’s request for the preparation of the legislative proposal for the new roaming regulations, BoR (20) 131.

[4] Please note that DCB can also be referred to as direct operator billing/third party billing.

[5] Framework, Authorization, Access, Universal Service Directives, adopted in 2002 and updated in 2009.

[6] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018L1972&from=EN

[7] Pursuant to Annex VI, Part A, Article 115 of the EECC.

[8] Annex VI, Part A (b), Article 115 of the EECC.

[9] Annex VI, Part A (h), Article 115 of the EECC.

[10] The questionnaire was sent out to NRAs on 15 September 2020 with response deadline set at 14 October 2020.

[11] Please note that PRS are a subset of Value-Added Services.

[12] Please note that DCB can also be referred to as direct operator billing/third party billing.

[13] Source: ECC Report 086 on Consumer abuses and fraud issues relating to High Tariff services (2006), p. 4. Please note that inter-carrier wise this is an origination service.

[14] NRAs were asked to indicate if the diagram shown was able to capture the functioning of third-party payments in their country, e.g., if the relationships between customers, merchants and billing platforms was correctly described through this diagram. According to the responses received, this diagram reflects the functioning of third party payments in 10 countries (BE, CY, EE, EL, HR, HU, IE, IT, NL, SE); eleven (11) other countries (AT, BG, CZ, ES, FI, FR, LT, LV, PR, RO, SK) responded “maybe”, meaning that probably there isn’t enough information to be certain and 2 countries (DE, PL) responded that the diagram did not represent the way the business works in their countries.

[15] Source: Consumer market study on m-payment, European Commission, 2018, pp. 20 ("Carrier billing schema", based on Forest Interactive 2017, "Operational Process Overview") - https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/348b9b-39-e8-b5fe-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-98833

[16] AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, EL, FI, FR, FY, HR, HU, IE, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SK.

[17] BE, CY, DE, EE, EL, FI, IE, NL, RO, SE.

[18] AT, BE, DE, EL, FR, HU, MT, PL, PT, RO.

[19] AT, BE, EL, HR, HU, MT, PL, PT.

[20] BE, EL, FR, HR, HU, MT, PT, RO.

[21] AT, BE, EL, FR, HR, HU, PT, RO.

[22] AT, BE, EL, ES, HR, HU, PT, RO.

[23] AT, EL, HR, MT, PL, PT.

[24] Among the less frequently mentioned provisions there were registration FR, HR, EL, ES, PT; licensing AT, HR, EL; and refund policy AT, BE, HR.

[25] BE, DE, FI, IE, NL, RO, SE (Billing transparency); EE, FI, IE, NL, SE (General information disclosure); DE, FI, IE, NL (Contractual transparency); EE, FI, IE, NL (Prior information disclosure); FI, IE, NL (Registration; Refund policy, Prior consent and Prices); IE, NL (Licensing).

[26] FI, IE, NL, SE.

[27] BE, FR, HR, HU, PT, SK.

[28] BE, HR, HU, PT.

[29] AT, BE, DE, EE, EL, FI, FR, HU, IE, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SK.

[30] HR.

[31] BE, CY, HU, PL, PT.

[32] BG, CZ, IT, LT, LV, RO, SK.

[33] The questionnaire was sent out to NRAs on 15 September 2020 with response deadline set at 14 October 2020.

[34] BE, CY, HU, PT, SK.

[35] CZ, DE, EE, EL, ES, IT, LT, LV, MK, NO, PL, RO, SE, SI.

[36] AT, BE, CZ, DE, DK, EE, EL, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LV MK, MT, Pl, PT, RO, SI, SK.

[37] CY, ES, NL, NO

[38] BG, SE

[39] Some NRA’s mentioned explicitly that complaint handling is handled by another authority [ES, NO] or only a specific type of complaint like technical correctness of billing falls within their scope [FI].

[40] Due to keeping the data consistent and comparable, the information of 1 NRA has been removed from the set since they only reported only one year [RO]. Another NRA mentioned that definition of the data asked does not quite fit the definition of records kept by the NRA, no accurate numbers could be provided [DE]

[41] 2017 category 0-60: [CZ, DK, FI, LT, LV, MT, SK,] / 2017 category 60-100: [HU, MK] / 2017 category 100-250 [IT] 2017 category 250-1000 [AT, BE, PL, PT] 2017 category more than 1000: [EL, IE]

2018 category 0-60: [CZ, DK, FI, LT, LV, MK, MT, SK] / 2018 category 60-100: [HU] / 2018 category 100-250 [AT, IT, PL] /2018 category 250-1000 [BE, PT] / 2018 category more than 1000: [EL, IE]

2019 category 0-60: [CZ, DK, FI, HU, LT LV, MK, MT, PT, SK] / 2019 category 60-100: none / 2019 category 100-250 [AT, IT, PL] / 2019 category 250-1000 [BE] /2019 category more than 1000: [EL, IE]

[42] There is no real relation between the population and the amount of reported contacts. The >1000 contacts category are IE (5 million inhabitants) and EL (11 million). Categories with lower amount of contacts (0-250) are countries like for example CZ (5,5 million inhabitants) and IT (60 million inhabitants).

[43] The boundaries of the categories are based on the questionnaire issued to the NRAs, for reason of presentation the answers of categories have been compressed and the bandwidth in lower amount of contacts have been made still small and categories with higher amount of contacts bandwidths have been made larger (0-20, 21-40 and 41-60 -> 0-60, 61-80 and 81-100 -> 60-100, 101-250 -> 100-250, 251-500 and 50-1000 -> 250-1000, >1000 -> >1000).

[44] Issues predefined by BEREC in the questionnaire.

[45] -Charging issues PR: AT, BE, CZ, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, LV, MK, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK.

-Consent Issues PR: AT, BE, CZ, EE, EL, FR, HR, IE, IT, LT, MK, NL, PT, RO, SI, SK.

-Refund issues PR: AT, BE, DE, EL, ES, FR, IE, IT, MK, NL, PL, RO, SI, SK.

-Cancellation Issues PR: AT, BE, EL, HU, IE, LV, NL, PT, RO, SI, SK.

-Lack of information before ordering PR: AT, BG, DE, EE, FR, HU, IE, MK, NL, RO, SI.

-Mistake PR: AT, BE, CZ, DE, HU, IE, NL, PL, RO, SI, SK.

-Lack of billing transparency PR: AT, DE, FR, HU, IE, NL, RO, SI.

-Charging issues DCB: AT, BE, CZ, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, LV, MK, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK.

-Fraud DCB: AT, BG, CZ, DE, DK, ES, ES, IE, IT, PT. -Consent Issues DCB: AT, BG, CZ, DE, DK, ES, IE, IT, LT, PT.

-Refund issues DCB: AT, BG, DE, DK, ES, IE, IT, PL, PT.

-Cancellation Issues DCB: DE, BG, AT, PT, IE, ES AT, BG, DE, ES, IE, PT.

-Lack of information before ordering DCB: AT, BG, DE, DK, ES, IE, PT.

-Mistake DCB: AT, CZ, DE, IE, PL.

-Lack of billing transparency DCB: AT, BG, DE, IE, PT.

[46] Also see Annex 6 of this Report.

[47] AT, BE, BG, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, FY, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI.

[48] AT, BE, BG, DE, ES, FI, FY, HR, HU, IE, LT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI.

[49] ES, IT, LV, PT.

[50] EL, IE, IT, MT.

[51] EE, PT.

[52] EE.

[53] BE, NL.

[54] AT, EL, ES, FI, IT, PT.

[55] EL, ES, PT.

[56] AT, FI.

[57] IT.

[59] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, FY, HR, HU, IE, IT, NO, RO, LT, LV, MT, NL, PL, PT, SE, SK, SI.

[60] AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FY, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SK, SI.

[61] AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, FI, IE, IT, NL, SE.

[62] AT, BE, BG, CY, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HU, IT, NO, PL, RO, SK.

[63] AT, BE, BG, CY, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HU, IT, PL, RO, SK.

[64] BE, BG, CY, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HU, IT, LT, PL, PT, RO.

[65] CY, EL, FI, NL (for premium rate calls) and CY, EL, NL (for premium rate SMS/MMS and direct carrier billing).

[66] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT; LV, MT, NL, NO, PT, RO, SK, SI.

[67] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SK, SI.

[68] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK.

[69] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK.

[70] AT, BE, BG, CY, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MT, NL, PT, RO.

[71] AT, BE, BG, CY, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, IT, LT; MT, NL, NO, PT, RO.

[72] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, ES, IE, IT, FI, MT, LT, PL, SK

[73] AT, BG, CY, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, IT, LT, MT, NL.

[74] AT, BE, EE, ES, HR, IE, MT, NL, PT, SI.

[75] AT, BE, EE, ES, HR, IE, MT, NL, PT.

[76] AT, BE, EE, ES, HR, IE, NL, PT.

[77] AT, BE, EE, HR, IE, NL, PT.

[78] EE, HR, IE, MT, NL, PL, PT.

[79] ES, HR, MT, NL, PL, PT.

[80] AT, BE, IE, MT.

[81] HR, PT.

[82] AT, EL, EE, IE, MT, NL.

[83] AT, EE, EL, IE, NL.

[84] EE, EL, IE, NL, SI.

[85] EE, EL, IE, MT, NL.

[86] AT, EE, EL, IE, NL.

[87] EL, MT, NL, SI.

[88] IE, MT (for voluntary dispute resolution) and EL (for mandatory dispute resolution).

[89] BE, BG, CY, EL, FI, FR, NL, PL, RO.

[90] BE, CY, EL, FI, FR, NL, PL, RO.

[91] BE, CY, FI, NL.

[92] FR, FI, NL.

[93] NL.

[94] PT, LT.

[95] LT.

[96] ES, SK.

[97] ES.

[98] FI, PT.

[99] PT.

[100] SK – the Gambling Regulatory Authority.

[101] FR.

[102] AT, ES, IT.

[103] ES, IT.

[104] ES.

[105] HU, PT, PL.

[106] PT.

[107] BE, BG, CY, EL, ES, FR, FY, HR, IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, PL, PT, NO, RO.

[108] BE, DE, IT.

[109] BE, BG, CY, EL, ES, FI, FR, FY, HR, IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO.

[110] BE, DE, ES, FI, IT, NL.

[111] BE, BG, CY, DE, EL, ES, FR, HR, IE, IT, LT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO.

[112] BE, BG, CY, DE, El, ES, HR, IT, LV, NL, PT, SI.

[113] BE, BG, CY, EL, ES, IT, LT, NL, NO, PT, RO.

[114] HR, NL, PT (about revenues); IT, NL, PT (about the number of subscribers/users); and ES, IT, MT, NL, PT, SI (about complaints).

[115] EL, ES, HR, NL, PT (about revenues); EL, ES, IT, NL, PT (about the number of subscribers/users); and EL, IT, NL, PT (about complaints).

[116] BE, EL, ES, PT.

[117] BE, PT.

[118] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SK.

[119] BE, DE, EE, FI, FR, IE, IT, RO, SE.

[120] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SK.

[121] DE, EE, FI, FR, IE, IT, RO, SE.

[122] AT, BE, EL, HR, IE, IT, LT, NL, RO.

[123] BE, CY, HU, HR, LT, MK, NL.

[124] AT, BG, CY, ES, FR, HR, NL, PT.

[125] AT, BE, BG, EL, FR, HU, IT, NL, PT, RO, SE.

[126] AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, EL, FR, HU, HR, IE, IT, MK, MT, NL, PT, RS, SK.

[127] AT, BE, CY, EE, ES, EL, FR, HR, IE, IT, LT, MK, NL, PL, PT, RO, RS, SK.

[128] EE, FR, IE, IT, PL, SE.

[129] AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MK, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SK.

[130] EE, IE, IT, FR, PL, RO.

[131] AT, BE, CY, EE, EL, ES, HR, IE, IT, LT, MK, NL, NO, PT, RO, RS, SK.

[132] CY, EE, EL, HR, IE, MK, NL.

[133] BE, CY, EE, EL, ES, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, MK, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SK.

[134] EE, IE, IT, FR, PL, RO.

[135] AT, BE, DE, EE, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SK.

[136] BE, DE, EE, FI, FR, IE, RO.

[137] AT, BE, BG, DE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SK.

[138] BE, BG, DE, FI, FR, IE, IT, PT, RO, SE.

[139] BG, EL, ES, LT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE.

[140] BG, DE, PT, RO, SE.

[141] BE, CY, FI, FR, HU, IE, IT, MT, NL, NO, RS, SK.

[142] FR, HR, IE, MT, NL, RS.

[143] CY, FR, HR, IE, IT, MT, NL.

[144] CY, ES, FR, HR, IE, NL, RS.

[145] CY, FR, HR, IE, IT, MT, NL.

[146] CY, FR, IE, HR, NL.

[147] CY, FR, IE, HR, MT, NL.

[148] CY, FR, HR, NL, RS.

[149] BE, CY, FR, HR, HU, IE, ITMT, NL, RS.

[150] BE, CY, HR, HU, IE, IT, MT, NL, RS.

[151] FI, FR, IE, IT, NL, SE.

[152] BE, CY, FR, HU, IE, IT, MT, NL, NO, RS.

[153] BE, FI, HU, IE, IT, MT, NL, RS, SE.

[154] AT, BE, BG, DE, EE, EL, HU, LT, NL, NO, RS.

[155] CZ, FI, FR, IE, IT, PL, PT, RO.

[156] MK, CY, HU, LT.

[157] MK, CY, HU, PT, LT.

[158] CY.

[159] DE, FR, MK, BE, NO, RO, CY, NL, BG, HU, MT, AT, LV, IT, PT, EL, LT, SK, IE, FI, EE, SE, PL, SI, ES.

[160] FR, MK, BE, NO, RO, CY, NL, HU, AT, LV, IT, PT, EL, LT, SK, IE, FI, EE, SE, SI, ES.

[161] AT, CY, DE, EE, FI, IT, NL, PT, SE.

[162] BE, HU, PL, SK.

[163] MK (if it is technically possible for the operators), BG, CY, LV, NO, PT, EL, SE, SK.

[164] MK (if it is technically possible for the operators), CY, EL, LV, PT, SE, SK.

[165] CY, SE.

[166] AT,BE, BG, CY, DE, EL, ES. FI, HU, IT, MK MT, NL, NO, PL, RO, SE, SI, SK,

[167] AT, BE, CY, EL, ES, FI, HU, IT, MK, RO, SE, SI, SK.

[168] CY, FI, IT, SE.

[169] AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, NL, PL, PT.

[170] BG, EL, IT, LV, MK, MT, SK.

[171] AT, CY, DE, FI, FR, , NL, PT.

[172] EE, IT, LT.

[173].BE, EL, HR, IE, IT, MK, NL, NO, PL, RO, SE, SI.

[174] EL, HR, IT, MK, NL, NO, PL, RO, SE, SI.

[175] BG, SE.

[176] IT, NL, NO.

[177] IE.

[178] RO, SI.

[179] PL (amounting to 0 PLN, 35 PLN, 100 PLN and 200 PLN).

[180] SE.

[181] BG.

[182] SE.

[183] BE, BG, HR, IE, IT, MK, PL, RO, SI.

[184]  EL, HR,PL, RO, SE, SI.

[185] PL.

[186] BE, MK, PT, SK.

[187] BE.

[188] BE, MK, SK.

[189] For the purposes of this Report free voice notification informing the caller of the premium rate tariff, is not considered as an alert service.

[190] MK, PT.

[191] BE, IE, MK, PT.

[192] IE, PT.

[193] BG, IE, IT, RO, SI.

[194] BE, BG, EE, EL, IT, LT, MK, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI.

[195] AT, BE, BG, HR, EE, EL, ES, HU, IE, IT, LT, MK, NO, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI.

[196] AT, BG, EE, DE, IT, LT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SI.

[197] AT, BG, EE, DE, IE, IT, LT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SI.

[198] AT, BE, BG, EL, ES, HR, HU, IE, IT, MK, NL, PT, RO, SI.

[199] AT, BE, DE, IT, LT, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK.

[200] Belgium clarified after submission of its responses to the questionnaire that “explicit consent” was interpreted as referring to an additional consent measure, in addition to the end-user’s consent given during his application for subscription services.

[201] DE, EE, ES, HU, IE, MK, PT.

[202] BE, EE, EL, HR, IE, MK, NL, PT, RO, SI.

[203] AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, LV, MK, NL, NO, RO, SI, SK.

[204] One NRA (BE) indicated that it is possible not to give a cancellation period, but the provider has to explain this in advance and obtain the consumer's prior express consent (see Article 16 (a) of the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU). In practice, most third-party services seem eligible to make use of this exception, so they responded "NO" to this question.

[205] IT, PL, PT.

[206] AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, EE, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, LV, NL, PT, SK.

[207] IT, PL, RO, SI.

[208] AT, BE, EL, ES, HR, IE, IT, LV, NL, NO, PT, RO, SI.

[209] BG, CZ, DE, EE, FI, FR, LT, MK, PL, SK.

[210] ES, IE, IT, PT.

[211] AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, FI, FR, LT, NL, PL, RO, SI, SK.

[212] MK.

[213] BE, EE, EL, ES, HR, IE, LV, NL, NO, RO, SI.

[214] AT, BE, DE, EL, ES, HR, HU, IT, LT, MK, MT, NL, PT

[215] BG, CZ, EE, FI, FR, IE, LV, NO, PL, RO, SI, SK.

[216] Mobile operator yes: AT, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IT, NL PL, PT, SK. /

[217] Mobile operator no: BE, IE, LT, MK, RO, SI. / Mobile operator no answer: BG, LV, MT, NO, SE.

Third party service provider yes: BE, CY, CZ, DE, EE, EL, FI, FR, IE, LT, LV, PL, PT. /Third party service provider no: AT, DK, ES, HR, HU, IT, MK, NL, RO, SI, SK./ Third party service provider no answer: BG, MT, NO, SE.

Mobile operator yes: AT, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IT, NL, PL, PT, SK./ Mobile operator no: BE, IE, LT, MK, RO, SI./ Mobile operator no answer: BG, LV, MT, NO, SE.

Third party service provider yes: BE, CY, CZ, DE, EE, EL, FI, FR, IE, LT, LV, PL, PT. /Third party service provider no: AT, DK, ES, HR, HU, IT, MK, NL, RO, SI, SK. /Third party service provider no answer: BG, MT, NO, SE.

[218] An NRA mentioned that complaints to mobile operators are unfortunately often rejected (DK).

[219] MT.

[220] Time period to request a refund Yes: CZ, ES, HU, IE, IT, NL, PL, SK./ Time period to request a refund No: AT, BE, DE, DK, FR, HR, MK, PT.

Make Complaint Yes: AT, BE, CZ, DK, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, IE, IT, LT, LV, MK, NL, PL, SK. / Make complaint No: DE, PT.

Provide proof of consent Yes: BE, CZ, EL, HU, IE, IT, LT, MK, NL, PT. / Provide proof on consent No: AT, DE, DK, ES, FR, HR, PL, SK.

[221] One NRA mentioned that the Ombuds is considered as alternative dispute resolution (BE). Another NRA mentioned that a complaint can only be filed if the billed service is supplied by an electronic communications service provider (LT).

[222] Mobile service operator Yes: AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, EL ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IT, LT, LV, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SK. / Mobile service operator No: IE. / Mobile service operator no answer: none.

Third party service provider Yes: AT, BE, BG, CY,CZ, DE, EE, EL FI, FR, HU IE, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK. / Third party service provider No: DK, HR, MK./ Third party service provider no answer: ES, NO.

NRA Yes: AT, BE, CY, CZ, DE, EE, ES, FI, HR, HU, IE, IT, LV, MK, MT, NL, PL, RO, SI, SK. / NRA No: DK, FR.

NRA no answer: BG, NO, SE.

Alternative dispute resolution Yes: AT, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FR, HU, IT, LT, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK. / Alternative dispute resolution No: BE, HR, IE./ Alternative dispute resolution no answer: BG, EL, LV, MK.

Consumer Protection Authority Yes: AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DE, EE, EL, ES, LT, LV, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK. / Consumer Protection Authority No: DK, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, MK. / Consumer Protection Authority no answer: FI, NO.

Ombuds Yes: AT, BE, DK, EL, MK, PL, SK. / Ombuds No: CY, CZ, DE, EE, ES, FR, HR, HU IE, IT, LT, MT, NL, PT. / Ombuds no answer: BG, FI, LV, NO, RO, SE, SI.

Financial Services Authority Yes: AT, CZ, LT, PT. / Financial Services Authority No: BE, CY, DE, DK, EE, ES, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, MK, MT, NL, PL, SK. / Financial Services Authority no answer: BG, EL, FI, LV, NO, RO, SE, SI.

[223] One NRA mentioned that most often multiple similar complaints can lead to one combined supervisory action. However, sometimes an individual complaint can also lead to a supervisory action (NL).

[224] Complaints are treated individually and can lead to supervisory actions Yes: AT, BE, CY, CZ, DE, EE, EL, FI HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LV, MK, MT, NL, PL, RO, SK.

Complaints are treated individually and can lead to supervisory actions No: PT.

Complaints are treated individually and can lead to supervisory actions no answer: BG, DE, DK, ES, FR, NO, SI.

Multiple similar complaints can lead to one combined supervisory action Yes: AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, EL, FI, HR, HU, IE, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK.

Multiple similar complaints can lead to one combined supervisory action No: CZ, IT, LT, MK. 

Multiple similar complaints can lead to one combined supervisory action no answer: BG, DK, ES, FR, LV, SE, SI.

[225] ECC Report 275 on the role of E.164 numbers in international fraud and misuse of electronic communications services (2018).

[226] The European Commission published a consumer market study on the functioning of m-payment for consumers in the European Union (2017). 

[227] Article 2 (4) Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council of eleven (11) December 2018 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code.

[228] ECC Report 275 on the role of E.164 numbers in international fraud and misuse of electronic communications services (2018).

[229] Regulation (EU) No 531/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of thirteen (13) June 2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union.

[230] Art. 2 (13) Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council of eleven (11) December 2018 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code.

[231] Art. 2 (14) Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council of eleven (11) December 2018 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code.

[232] This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

[233] The Guide says, among others: ‘Where bundling of products includes an essential service (such as energy, water or communications), consumers must be clearly protected from disconnections or risks associated with other elements of a bundled contract, according to legal safeguards in place for that essential service. If the consumer breaks the conditions of the bundled contract (e.g. does not pay the part of the bill that corresponds to an additional service), their essential service should be maintained although the consumer loses the benefits and conditions of the bundled contract.’ (p. 22)

[182] SE.

[183] BE, BG, HR, IE, IT, MK, PL, RO, SI.

[184] EL, HR,PL, RO, SE, SI.

[185] PL.

[186] BE, MK, PT, SK.

[187] BE.

[188] BE, MK, SK.