site.btaOmbudsman Diana Kovacheva Calls on Mobile Operators to Keep Current Prices

December 22 (BTA) - National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva
sent a letter to the CEOs of the three mobile operators, urging
them not to change the prices of telecommunications services
during the coronavirus pandemic, as this would seriously affect
the pockets of citizens, Kovacheva's press centre said on
Wednesday.    

The reason for her letter was the news published on the websites
 of A1 Bulgaria and Telenor Bulgaria that from February next
year the prices of the monthly subscription plans will be tied
to the average annual consumer price index for 2020 and 2021,
published by the National Statistical Institute.   

Kovacheva emphasizes the fact that during the pandemic online
work and online learning are unthinkable without the services of
 mobile operators, and that the telecommunications sector is one
 of the most profitable in this country, as evidenced by the
revenue from data transfer, which for the first time exceeds
that from voice services. The question that arises is how
inflation, mainly from the rising prices of energy raw
materials, affects the prices of telecommunications services.  

The annual report for 2020 of the Communications Regulation
Commission notes that the Bulgarian electronic communications
market is showing resilience against the background of the
COVID-19 crisis, continuing its upward development from 2020.
One of the trends which are expected to be maintained next year
are an increase in the number of mobile internet subscribers,
the number of subscribers and revenues from bundled services,"
the Ombudsman argues.        

The Commission for Consumer Protection is verifying the
announced intentions of mobile operators to increase the prices
of telecommunications services under existing contracts with
consumers.    

The inspection aims to determine whether the planned changes
would be in line with the clauses in the specific contracts and
the approved general conditions. The Commission also checks the
correctness of the presentation of the new parameters, the
period, and the scope of implementation.

The National Association for Consumer Protection demanded the
resignation of the entire Commission for Consumer Protection
(CCP) and its chairman Dimitar Margaritov due to the unilateral
rise in prices by mobile operators, justified by inflation, the
Association said on Wednesday.  

The CCP leadership has not defended the interests of the people
for a long time and needs to be replaced by the new Council of
Ministers, according to Peyo Mayorski, chairman of the
Association. He said there is no information that the CCP has
ever imposed sanctions on mobile operators. Consumers have
always been hit the hardest, and this practice needs to change,
Mayorski added. The Association intends to inform the European
Commission about the changes in the prices of mobile operators
and the inaction of the CCP, the statement said.

MY/MT
/МТ/