Many telecom service providers in Taiwan offer free services for a limited period, but fail to notify customers before the free trial period ends and customers are charged usage fees if they do not cancel the service, the Consumers’ Foundation said yesterday.
The consumer rights watchdog recently inspected six telecom service providers’ terms and conditions offered to consumers and found that two companies, Chunghwa Telecom (中華電信) and PHS (大眾電信), provide customers with free incoming ringtones for one to three months, but do not notify or remind customers that they must cancel the service or be charged a fee once the free trial period ends.
Two other companies, Far EasTone (遠傳電信) and Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大), cancel the ringtone service after the free trial period ends, but if customers change or download ringtones during the free trial period, the service will not be canceled after the free trial period ends and customers will be charged a fee.
The foundation also found that PHS, Taiwan Mobile and Vibo Telecom (威寶電信) did not notify customers that their service contracts were about to expire and any promotional or discount offers accompanying the contract would also end.
As a result, many customers are not aware that their contract has expired until they receive a bill indicating that they have been charged regular rates, the foundation said.
“While it is good that telecom companies offer free trials for various services, it is unreasonable for the companies to automatically start charging customers if they do not cancel the service before the free offer expires,” foundation chairman Hsieh Tien-jen (謝天仁) said.
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