29.02.2024

The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) informs the users of telephony and internet access services from Romania on the obligation incumbent on the providers to offer the possibility to monitor, in due time, the level of consumption of these services, namely their obligation to inform the consumers when they have reached the EUR 50/RON 250 (excluding VAT) consumption limit, which exceeds the value of the subscription.

To increase the transparency and to allow the consumers to better control their costs resulting from the use of electronic communications services, the providers of internet access and telephony services offer them the opportunity to track, in due time, the level of consumption for each service included in the tariff plan and inform them when the volume of a service included in the tariff plan is entirely consumed, namely when the consumption limit (financial or volume) is reached.

ANCOM established that the consumption limit at which the providers are obliged to inform the consumers is represented by a cost of EUR 50/RON 250 (excluding VAT) over the subscription value. The information concerns only the services whose payment is made after their provision (subscription based), taking into account the specificities of prepaid cards which involve the payment for the provided services in advance, so that the consumers can be permanently in control of the amounts used for the requested services. Depending on the commercial policy of the providers, this additional cost may also include the costs incurred when accessing value-added services. Therefore, the providers have the responsibility to warn the consumers when they reach that cost, contributing thus to the more efficient management of the consumption of electronic communications services.

At the same time, the consumers have the opportunity to expressly opt out this notification.  

End-users microenterprises, economic enterprises without legal personality, small enterprises or not-for-profit organisations shall enjoy the same rights as the consumers, unless they have explicitly agreed to give up these rights, in whole or in part.

What, how and where do you complain

ANCOM ensures that providers comply with the obligations relating to the provision of the facility to track and control, in due time, the level of consumption for each service provided in the tariff plan, as well as the notification on the reaching of the EUR 50/RON250 (excluding VAT) consumption limit, in addition to the monthly subscription for telephone and internet access services. In case of problems/unclarities regarding this facility, ANCOM recommends to the consumers, respectively the end-users indicated above, to first contact the provider. If the provider does not resolve the reported issue, they can address ANCOM, following the steps described here.

ANCOM InfoCentre

More information regarding the contracts for the provision of publicly available electronic communications services can be found on the ANCOM InfoCentre section