T-MOBILE AMENDS ITS CONDITIONS DUE TO CHANGE OF LAW

The new General Terms and Conditions take effect on 26 January 2014
Compensation for early contract termination of will amount to a maximum of 20% of the remaining monthly fees or minimum monthly payment and a balance of the telephone price
Mandatory notification on conclusion or any amendment of a contract via T-Box
New notification duty prior to automatic contract extension 

Prague, 27 November 2013 – In connection with the new Civil Code and an amendment to Act No. 127/2005 Coll., on Electronic Communications, T-Mobile is amending its General Terms and Conditions (GTC) and terms and conditions applicable to individual services. As a result of a new obligation to inform customers of the conclusion of a contract or any amendment of a contract, the operator will create an electronic box – T-Box – in the My T-Mobile self-care application as of the effective date of the new GTC (i.e., 26 January 2014). The operator will also notify customers at least 30 days in advance of the planned automatic extension of their contract. Additionally, compensation for early termination of a contract will be reduced.   

T-Mobile will fulfil the new notification duties arising from the legislation as considerately and clearly as possible so that customers can easily comprehend the changes and are not inconvenienced by them. The new duties involved a significant financial outlay and workload for the operator – the change affected a total of 19 systems, with implementation costs totalling CZK 5.7 million, whereas monthly operating costs will amount to CZK 1.5 million. Requiring the equivalent of 400 man-days, the changes were also very demanding in terms of the company’s internal human resources. 

FOUR MAJOR CHANGES

• T-Box

The operator will send notifications about the conclusion and any amendments of contracts to an electronic box created in the My T-Mobile self-care application. Such notifications can concern, for example, purchase of a roaming bundle or change of a tariff plan. Information sent to the electronic box is deemed delivered when it is sent and will be stored in the T-Box for six months. In their own interest, customers should regularly check messages sent to the T-Box. 

• Early termination of subscriber contracts

If customers terminate a fixed-term contract before the expiry of the agreed term, under the new conditions they will pay compensation amounting to 20% of the aggregate monthly fees (or aggregate minimum monthly payment) that remain to be paid until the end of the contract and compensation for the terminal device they purchased under special terms. This can mean in practice, for example, that a customer will pay all the remaining instalments for a handset in a single payment. 

• Notification duty with respect to automatic contract extension

In accordance with the Electronic Communications Act, the operator will inform customers of the planned automatic extension of their contract at the earliest three months and at the latest one month one month before the extension date. The notification will also specify how the customer could possibly terminate the contract. 

• Abbreviated conditions and adapted terminology in line with the new Civil Code

In accordance with the obligations imposed by the new Civil Code, T-Mobile has abbreviated the conditions and adapted the terminology to the new Civil Code. 

ADVICE TO CUSTOMERS

The operator is proceeding fully in accordance with the law and informs customers one month prior to the effective date of the new conditions by means of all available channels. Beginning today, the new GTC are available at www.t-mobile.cz/vpst. Information will also be provided in regular Statements of Services; prepaid card users will be notified by means of a text message. 

Changes to the conditions have been made due to a change of the law; therefore they do not establish the right of customers to terminate their contracts. 

More information is available at www.t-mobile.cz/vpst and www.t-mobile.cz/t-box.  

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.