Your outgoing calls cannot be restricted by your mobile service provider if you only have the price of the device

Mobile phone service providers cannot restrict outgoing calls from their customers if they are only late in paying for the details of the device but do not owe an account. The National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) has launched an investigation into T-Mobile's proceedings. A subscriber of the company also bought a new device at the time of concluding the contract, the price of which had to be repaid in installments. Later, your account debt was incurred or you were late in paying the due part of the device. At the request of the service provider, he paid his account debt, but not the missing part of the device, as he was not notified about it. Subsequently, Magyar Telekom restricted the outgoing calls of its subscriber, claiming that although it had no debts for the mobile service, it was delayed with the handset.

Following the investigation, the NMHH prohibited Magyar Telekom in a resolution from restricting its outgoing calls to the subscriber if the customer does not owe the telephone bill, only the price of the device purchased at a discount.

Under current law, service providers may restrict service to their non-paying or late paying customers until they have paid their overdue debt. It is important, however, that the debt must arise from the provision of the service and the restriction may apply only if the debt has not been paid within the period of at least thirty days specified in the notice to that effect.

In its decision, NMHH pointed out that a mobile phone purchased at a discount or installment at the time of concluding a subscription contract is not actually part of the service, so if the customer stays with the details but pays his phone bill properly, outgoing calls cannot be restricted. However, the service provider is not incapable of dealing with a subscriber who is liable for the price of the device: as the authority has stated in its decision, the service provider can then go to court for recovery.

The court shared NMHH's argument and upheld the authority's decision. This is another important step in protecting subscriber rights, as all service providers must continue to do so. [nmhh]