Independent Consumer Protection Organization reaches agreement with telecom operator True Corporation to prevent bill shock

Century Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand – To mark this year’s World Consumer Rights Day, the Independent Consumer Protection Organization, Foundation for Consumers, together with Real Future, a company under telecom company True Corporation, have signed a memorandum of understanding to prevent problems arising from using international roaming service.

 

The Independent Consumer Protection Organization and Foundation for Consumers have received complaints from consumers who have experienced bill shock from using international roaming service, for example, a bill of more than THB 1.3m (USD 42,000) for the 14 day roaming service in Saudi Arabia or a THB 160,000 (USD 4,950) bill for package of roaming service in France.  The credit limit provided by telecom companies does not apply to international calls.

According to the MOU, Real Future will set a credit limit for both local and international calls.   Customers are allowed to adjust the credit limit by informing the company in advance but the company reserves the rights to set the new limit in case the customer requests a higher credit limit.

The company will alert customers when the credit limit is about to be reached.  The service will be suspended as soon as the limit is reached but customers can dial a toll free number to inform the company if they want to have the service resumed/ have both voice and data service suspended/ or have only the data service ended.   

The company will also inform customers of exceptions under its sales promotion, for example, the service does not include data roaming/the company will charge call answer fees/ the limit on data transaction or on days of service will be applied.  

Assoc. Prof. Jiraporn Limpananont, chairman of the Independent Consumer Protection Organization, said the committee had been informed by other telecom operators that they were not ready to sign the MOU yet.  However, the committee hopes there will be cooperation from the other operators in the near future for better consumer protection and social responsibility, according to Assoc. Prof. Limpananont.