The Consumer Ombudsman asks the citizens to avoid the non-fixed charges on telephone bills coming from calls to special numbers, after relevant reports have been made to him.
Examples of such numbers reported are:
• Short five-digit numbers of the number 13, which are used for customer service and fault reporting by providers of various services (energy, electricity, etc.).
• Short five-digit numbers in the 14-digit number, through which multimedia information services (MIS) are provided, however there are cases where such numbers have been selected for telephone appointment services.
• Short four-digit or five-digit numbers of number 15, which are used to provide services of public interest or services to society as a whole by Ministries or Local Government Organizations.
• Ten-digit 801 serial cost numbers, commonly used by companies to communicate with technical support departments or for telephone orders.
A statement from the Independent Authority states that for all of these numbers, with the exception of 137 serial numbers, which are assigned to provide customer service for fault issues and for which there is an explicit provision that there is no charge for calls to them. , there is the possibility of charges, with some conditions and restrictions, which are determined by the pricing policy of the providers of electronic communications services.
In the context of the investigation of the relevant cases, the Authority has made recommendations to all companies and bodies that use such numbers so that:
• Consider entering into special agreements for incomplete calls, in cases of numbers used to provide information services on a number of key issues (eg employment, pensions, insurance, health, etc.) .
• Introduce alternative ten-digit geographic numbers for customer service (where they do not already exist and are feasible), which are included in the integrated benefits of the financial plans of the telecommunications service providers and therefore do not incur any out-of-pocket charges.
• Promote the use of ten-digit geographic numbers to serve consumers.
• Provide clear information to consumers about any charges that may arise from the use of special numbers, both in the publication and promotion of these numbers to the consumer public and in the provision of services through them, advising and urging consumers to consult the price lists of their providers.
It should be noted that, after the intervention of the Consumer Ombudsman, to the E.F.K.A. Regarding the special number 1555, the pricing policy of all telecommunications providers regarding the number 1555 has changed and now calls to this number are free of charge.
Finally, the Authority recommends to consumers to avoid excessive, off-line charges of their (fixed and mobile) telephony bills:
1. Avoid using special numbers if the alternative of using ten-digit geographical numbers is provided; and
2. To be informed about the pricing policy of their providers, in consultation with the relevant price lists, before using the special numbers.
