Telecoms fined NT$76 million for canceling promotional benefits in 2018｜Taiwan News

Telecoms fined NT$76 million for canceling promotional benefits in 2018｜Taiwan News

2023-09-15

Chungwha Telecom and Taiwan Mobile have been fined a total of NT$76 million for jointly canceling certain bonuses attached to an unlimited mobile data plan promotion.In 2018, the two companies removed incentives such as free voice calls from a monthly data plan costing NT$699. The move was taken after the two companies found the number of subscribers with more expensive plans was decreasing. The Fair Trade Commission says their joint cancelation amounted to an unlawful concerted action.

Nowadays it’s all about swiping and tapping away on your phone, making “all-you-can-eat” internet contracts a must. In 2018, Chungwha Telecom and Taiwan Mobile made changes to their 4G unlimited data plans, which cost NT$699 a month. Yet, they removed bonus features from the plan including free calls within the network and lower rates for calls to other networks. After a five-year investigation, the Fair Trade Commission has determined that the move was unlawful concerted action. It has issued a fine of NT$40 million to Chungwha Telecom, and NT$36 million to Taiwan Mobile. The combined amount of NT$76 million has set a record for the highest fine ever imposed on telecom companies.

Voice of Chen Chih-min
Fair Trade Commission
We have evidence that top executives at both companies communicated with each other to remove those extras from the plan. That constitutes as unlawful concerted action under the Fair Trade Act.

The Fair Trade Commission believes the two operators arranged to make changes together to get customers to sign up for pricier plans and reduce revenue losses from voice calls. The Consumers’ Foundation also says that cutting the features from the promotional plans was foul play.

Wu Jung-ta
Consumers’ Foundation
Canceling the plan makes it very difficult for consumers to prove damages or to succeed in litigation if they try to fight for their rights. We urge the companies involved to restore the plans to what they were.

Chungwha Telecom has responded, saying that any decisions and adjustments to the plans were done due to operational considerations. It added that five years had already passed since they offered the promotional monthly plan and that therefore, the Fair Trade Commission may not have had the information necessary to clarify the situation. It said the company would investigate administrative measures to protect the company’s rights and interests. Meanwhile, Taiwan Mobile expresses it finds the decision deeply regrettable, saying it will explore response measures.

｜Taiwan News

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中華電.台灣大"聯合"取消優惠公平會重罰7600萬

2023-09-15

公平會對電信業者，祭出史上最高罰鍰！中華電信和台灣大哥大，2018年同步取消特定優惠方案，經過公平會調查，確認雙方內部高層曾互通訊息，已構成聯合行為，因此總計開罰7600萬元，對此兩家業者表示深感遺憾，中華電更直言，會研議相關行政救濟措施。

低頭滑呀滑，現代人都乎都要手機網路吃到飽，但是中華電信和台灣大哥大，2018年一起調整4G不降速699吃到飽優惠方案，但同時取消網內互打免費和通話金優惠，經過五年調查、公平會認定屬於聯合行為，分別開罰中華電4000萬、台灣大3600萬，合計7600萬，創下對電信業者的最高罰鍰紀錄。

[[聲源:公平會副主委陳志民]]
“我們是有一些證據可以證明說，兩家業者的高層，其實彼此之間有互相溝通過，共同取消這個方案，已經構成公平法的聯合行為。”

公平會認定，兩大業者一起調整方案，是希望用戶申辦高資費方案，減少語音收入的損失，消基會也認為，取消這樣的措施對消費者不公平。

[[消基會董事長吳榮達]]
“取消方案要讓消費者來證明損害，或用打官司的方式來爭取權益，困難度非常高，呼籲業者恢復原來的優惠方案。”

不過中華電回應，任何資費方案的制定或調整，都是基於營運規畫考量，況且這是5年前的優惠方案，已有相當程度的資訊落差，主管機關恐怕沒有充分釐清及確認事實，將研議相關行政救濟措施，來維護公司權益。台灣大也表示，對決議深感遺憾，將研究後續應對事宜。

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Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling arrived in the United States in 1972. The rare gift from China was a sign of not only goodwill but also soft power after then-U.S. President Richard Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon had paid a historic state visit to the East Asian country.

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