Denmark’s Onfone Economics has become the latest cable group to be fined for misleading customers about the cost of their subscriptions, the country’s consumer ombudsman has announced.
Onefone has been landed with a DKK50,000 (E6,711) fine for not giving…
Denmark’s Onfone Economics has become the latest cable group to be fined for misleading customers about the cost of their subscriptions, the country’s consumer ombudsman has announced.
Onefone has been landed with a DKK50,000 (E6,711) fine for not giving sufficient price information on its website. The ruling follows Danish Stofas’s DKK100,000 (E13,424) fine last week, which was paid under protest.
According to the consumer ombudsman, the size of the fine is subject to the amount of profit the company achieved through its marketing.
It is understood that Danish telcos Telmore, Fullrate, Dansk Net, Dansk Bredbånd and 3 mobile are also being investigated over the transparency of their pricing plans. Danish incumbent TDC has also been warned over a lack of cost clarity on its website between August 2009 and March 2010. TDC did not respond to requests for comment.
In an email, Onfone director Morten Strunge told TelecomFinance: “It is correct that about 18 months ago, Onfone committed a regrettable mistake regarding a couple of our online product presentations. We did not mention a contract period of 6 months and an establishment fee, which brought us into conflict with number 13 in the Danish Law of Marketing. We of course regret this – and obviously, we are paying the fine of Dkr50,000 without any hesitation.
“It is also a fact, that the Danish Telco companies suffer from massive – often self-inflicted – credibility issues. Unfortunately, unclear prices, unpleasant surprises, deficient marketing, billing mistakes and long contract periods are characteristics for the entire industry.”
