Three operators, Bouygues Telecom, SFR and Free, have announced the increase of certain mobile packages. A rise quite legal, but that one can refuse, assures UFC-Que to choose.
Watch for your next Internet and mobile bills! According to UFC-Que Choisir, operators Bouygues Telecom, SFR and Free Mobile have decided to revise upwards their rates applied to some of their mobile and Internet customers.
These increases are legal
A completely legal practice provided that subscribers are notified in writing at least one month before the entry into force of the new rates. “The subscribers concerned by these tariff increases may well be moved, rightly, these practices they deem unfair, the law is on the side of operators,” observes the association.
In details :
- At SFR , subscribers to some of the operator’s mobile plans and its low-cost brand Red are concerned since the end of January: + 2 euros on the monthly bill,
- At Bouygues Télécom , customers of some Bbox plans have also been in the cash register in recent days: + 3 euros on the monthly bill,
- At Free Mobile, calls abroad have increased sharply since February 5: subscribers to the 2-euro package will see calls to 96 destinations pass the single rate of 1.35 euro per minute (the price today varies from a few cents to one euro). Package subscribers at 19.99 euros are not spared. The rise is even spectacular for some destinations, such as Argentina and Brazil: + 1580%!
#BouyguesTélécom, #SFR et #Freemobile : hausse des tarifs #mobiles et #internet ! https://t.co/VePJXsntg6
— UFC-Que Choisir (@UFCquechoisir) 6 February 2019
Solutions to escape
Counterparties to these increases were “offered” to certain customers, insisted on operations in communication with their customers: more calls to mobiles at Bouygues, additional data for SFR customers …
There are nevertheless solutions to refuse these increases, says the magazine. Bouygues Télécom and SFR give subscribers who wish to do so the opportunity to refuse the increase if they do so within four months of the date of the change. The user manual is simple: just go to the operator’s customer area and refuse the “proposed” increase.
On Free’s side, we did not understand everything. For customers subscribers to offers without commitment (those affected by the increases), the only solution is to terminate their contract “no charge”, as required by Article L. 224-33 of the Consumer Code . Before going to the competition.
