ComReg tells UPC it must properly inform customers of contract changes!

Solair

I just thought this might be of interest to some of you UPC subscribers.

ComReg Notifies UPC of a Finding of Non-Compliance with respect to Notification of Proposed Changes to Contract Terms and Conditions

On 31 January 2011, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) notified UPC Communications Ireland Limited (“UPC”) of a finding that it has not complied with Regulation 17(4) and Regulation 17(5) of the Universal Service Regulations, by having failed to furnish its subscribers with the proper individual and prior notification of a proposed change to their contract terms and conditions, and their statutory right to withdraw from their contract without penalty, should they not agree to the proposed change.

Continues in PDF document linked below

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1106.pdf

shanemhoban

to show you how useless comreg is they started an investigation into upc and there contracts with customers and how they communicate changes, that started in june 2009 and concluded on the 10th january 2011, the outcome was that upc were requested to review there terms and conditions, now there starting another investigation, what a waste of time!

Kristopherus

Dub 45 must be in the pub celebrating:):):)

Elessar

Trying to get out of contract with them at the moment, it's a nightmare. Keep being passed from billy to jack. Sent an email complaint and CC'd comreg - still no reply.

Signed up before xmas and were never told the price was increasing. Want out of it now but I think we have a fight on our hands. Solicitor already contacted. We're thinking of just not paying the bill any longer. All I want is to cancel the contract with them for TV, and restart another for broadband alone. We want to go back to Sky for TV.

Shower of sh*ts is a compliment to them.

Kristopherus

Elessar wrote: »

Trying to get out of contract with them at the moment, it's a nightmare. Keep being passed from billy to jack. Sent an email complaint and CC'd comreg - still no reply.

Signed up before xmas and were never told the price was increasing. Want out of it now but I think we have a fight on our hands. Solicitor already contacted. We're thinking of just not paying the bill any longer. All I want is to cancel the contract with them for TV, and restart another for broadband alone. We want to go back to Sky for TV.

Shower of sh*ts is a compliment to them.

I presume you are getting tv via cable. UPC told me there's no increase for mmds customers !!!

Davy

Published today:

ComReg Update – UPC Notification of Proposed Changes to Contract Terms and Conditions
On 31 January 2011, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) notified UPC Communications Ireland Limited (“UPC”) of a finding that it had not complied with Regulation 17(4) and Regulation 17(5) of the Universal Service Regulations, by having failed to furnish its subscribers with the proper individual and prior notification of a proposed change to their contract terms and conditions, and their statutory right to withdraw from their contract without penalty, should they not agree to the proposed change, (ComReg 11/06).
UPC has now proposed to ComReg a proactive programme of individual customer communications, covering the relevant customers affected, so as to advise customers of the change and allow them to exercise their rights.
The Commission has decided that, as the above approach addresses ComReg’s concerns and takes full account of the rights of consumers, it will not take further enforcement action in relation to this matter at this stage.

shanemhoban

received a text from upc today saying i can view the price changes notice in myupc on their site, it also said to reply yes to receive a hard copy, this is obviously there attempt to communicate with customers after there ticking off from comreg, to me it still doesnt cover there own terms and conditions where it states that customer's will receive notification by post, ive lodged a complaint with comreg and i suggest as many people do so too

Infoanon

shanemhoban wrote: »

ive lodged a complaint with comreg and i suggest as many people do so too

How do you go about complaining - my UPC has increased and no notification was recieved in complete breach if their own terms and conditions.

I also believe it is in breach of direct debit / banking regulations ? afaik any variation in a direct debit amount must be notified by invoice to the account holder.

Additionally I also believe that they have breached the advertising code in a) advertising prices for services that where about to increase (ref in particular the UPC onfo channel) & b) advertising that they have 'all your favourite channels' when clearly they dont.
I note Sky a always indicate potential price increases in their advertising.

patrickmooney

Got the same text just now. Replied YES. Rather odd. It should be opt out, reply NO to not have it sent via post. Odd.

applewoodgo

Solair wrote: »

I just thought this might be of interest to some of you UPC subscribers.

ComReg Notifies UPC of a Finding of Non-Compliance with respect to Notification of Proposed Changes to Contract Terms and Conditions

On 31 January 2011, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) notified UPC Communications Ireland Limited (“UPC”) of a finding that it has not complied with Regulation 17(4) and Regulation 17(5) of the Universal Service Regulations, by having failed to furnish its subscribers with the proper individual and prior notification of a proposed change to their contract terms and conditions, and their statutory right to withdraw from their contract without penalty, should they not agree to the proposed change.

Continues in PDF document linked below

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1106.pdf

I live in Greystones and have been a customer with Corus/NTL since 1976.
During that period I been receiving only 18 channels. I discoverd last year that the were providing some customers with an MMDS service giving over 100 channels and charging the same price. I contacted them early last year and asked for an upgrade and they told me it wasn't possible at my address. I then told them that I had two neighbours, one on either side of me, on the same row of houses with the service. They still insisted it wasn't possible. It was like talking to a stone wall so I gave up. I then decided just before Christmas last to try again and give them the ultimatum, upgrade me or I was going to Sky. They insisted it wasn't technically possible to provide me with the service even though two of my neighbours have it. I made the point that cabling wasn't involved other than the cable from the dish to the set top box and the rest was was a wirless signal to the transmitter which is situated on Kindlestown Hill with a clear line of site to my house. At this point she said she would have to check with someone else and asked me to hold. She returned and said that it was a different company who dealth with this and she would get them to contact me to arrange the service. I made the point that I wanted this in for Christmas and if that wasn't possible, I was going to Sky. After waiting for over a week, they never gave me the courtesy of a reply. It was now too late to get a service from Sky before Christmas. I waited until last month and decided to put in a free to air service. I don't know why I waited so long. I now have over 100 channels with multiroom and all free of charge. I called them to cancell the service and they want to load me with a 30 day cancellation fee. Annoyed by this, I sent them a registered letter informing them that I had given them an ultimatum in December, provide me with an upgrade or I was going to Sky. As far as I am concerned, I have given the three months notice and I owe them nothing. I also requested them to remove the cabling and the distribution box from the rear of my property.

There are two questions arising from this and I hope someone has the answers.

1. If I have clear line of sight to a transmitter which is approximately 1.5 Kilometers away as the crow flies and bearing in mind that two next door neighbours have it. Does anyone in the Greystones have a similar problem and have you discoverd any reason why this is not possible.

2. I have asked them to remove the cabling and distribution box from the rear of the property. I don't have a signed contract with these people giving the permission to erect this and since it's surplus to my requirements, can I force them to remove this. Does anyone know of a precident for this.