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A Member of the European Parliament demands explanation regarding discrimination from the phone providers

STÁHNOUT 14-07-08 Zdechovsky portrait Bxl-2.jpg (maximální velikost 0,5 MB)

Brussels/Hradec Králové – The Member of the European Parliament Tomáš Zdechovský from KDU-ČSL initiated a question to the European Commission regarding discrimination of Czech consumers. Zdechovský has been concerned by hundreds of cases of people from Eastern Bohemia affected by refusal of Czech phone providers to connect blocked cell phones, legally purchased in other member states, into the phone network in the Czech Republic, while the affected consumers are often asked to turn to 'mediators' for de-blocking.


'Phone companies violate the rules of the internal market of the EU with their behaviour. I decided to ask the European Commission for explanation and modification of relevant directives. It is not possible for the phone operators to deceive the customers and steal from them by these means,' says newly elected Member of the European Parliament Tomáš Zdechovský from KDU-ČSL.
According to Zdechovský, the ban on blocking a device itself is not formed as accurately as necessary in the relevant EU legislation. Therefore, a number of operators from the old member states block devices purchased in their respective countries for the users in the Czech Republic

The process of de-blocking has become profitable business
Only in Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions, the Member of the European Parliament Zdechovský and his team gathered over 400 owners of blocked cell phones purchased for instance in Great Britain. According to Tomáš Zdechovský, the fees for 'de-blocking of the devices for usage in other member states' are excessive and are often higher than the value of the device itself.

'Blocking of the phones for usage in other EU member states caused rise in developing business of de-blocking. Its principle is easy. Phone providers, or so-called mediators, charge their own fee for de-blocking from phone providers,' says Tomáš Zdechovský.

An attempt to discourage customers from changing of a network
Phone providers use these malpractices in order to discourage their customers from changing their network. Moreover, they are well aware that an explicit ban on blocking of phones is lacking within the European legislation. 'Consequently, public authorities tolerate these malpractices obstructing usage of the cell phones in other EU member states,' adds Zdechovský. That, nevertheless, is in contradiction with the legislation on free movement of goods, persons and services.
Daniel Rejman / Lenka Hrnčířová





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