Customers who do not pay their mobile phone bill will be disconnected from the internet within 20 days

Customers who do not pay for their postpaid mobile phones will be left without internet access after 20 days. The service will be terminated during the suspension of the contract and will not have any type of price, according to the resolution by Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency).

Today, customers who delay paying their bills have access to the Internet at a reduced rate, however, the phone user can pay the full price for the package when the time is delayed, even if there is no service at all.

This measure is part of the review of the RGC (Regulation of Consumers for Telecommunication Services), which took more than six years to discuss.

In addition to the current change in the suspension of work by employees, the modification of the regulations allows the reduction of physical stores for customers, maintaining 100% of the digital packet and determine people’s opening hours for telephone business.

According to the agreement, after the customer does not pay the bill, the mobile phone company has five days to send a notice of non-payment, giving the customer an additional 15 days to pay the bill. After 20 days of non-payment of the bill on the due date, internet service will be terminated.

At this time, which is currently partially suspended and will become a full suspension, it will not be possible to browse the Internet using mobile data, even if reduced, and people work will not be able to pay the customer any.
The new law makes it mandatory for operators to manage the following mobile services:

• Receive phone calls and text messages within the first 30 days of service suspension
• Call and send SMS to emergency services
• Enter the operator’s call center
• Maintenance of the access code, if the debt is paid during the suspension period
• Within 60 days, he can terminate the contract, without further service.

The amendment of the regulations also provides in the case of broadband security and pay TV that the service provider can cancel all services immediately after non-payment of the invoice.
The regulations will take effect as soon as they are published in the Department of Justice.

In the report, Anatel said that it has found that the partial suspension is often confused with quality problems in the contracted services, not representing a better option for customers. legal, which continues to receive payments at this time.

Luã Cruz, a researcher of communication and digital rights at Idec (Department of Consumer Protection), says that this change presents a decline due to the restricted access to the internet.

“Today, the internet is essential (in everyday life) and necessary, in general, for citizens to have access to their other rights, in this sense, the change of payments and delays will lead to a decrease in the basic rights of consumers. can not meet the difficulties of income and survival, “he said.

Contacted by Folha de S.Paulo about the new regulations, Conexis Brasil Digital, an organization that represents the main business owners in Brazil, said in a statement that the employees welcome the out the new regulations from Anatel.

PROVIDENCE

The RGC review also brought changes to retailers that need to manage a micro-region and provide a service commitment with digital services.

In physical stores, the requirement for certain stores in areas with 100,000 residents in a region should be removed. The new law will require a minimum of physical stores in places with 50,000 entrances to an immediate area – the area is located in the city Upcoming places.

Anatel claimed that maintaining the old model of these stores is a cost to the employees because the demand is low in some areas and around 23% of customers seek service in the store.

According to information from the organization, Brazil currently has 2,800 shops in which workers are required and, with the change in the calculation, the number will increase to 789, around 30% of the current production.

For Luã, the reduction in these companies is another point that will not be good for customers, because it will reduce the basic services provided to the part of the population.

“The change in the law of the stores should, together with the plans with digital services only, affect the customers who are not well, such as the elderly, people without digital knowledge or the population in a place where the doctor has no interest in business”, he states.

Telephone service is also changing, with human attendance from 6 am to 10 pm, and 24-hour service for urgent requests, but with the use of robots.

LEGAL DIGITAL PLANS AND MIGRATION SERVICES

Another change recommended by the organization is the release of digital advertising exclusively. The option allows employees to offer plans without in-person or phone service.

The customer is the one who must choose the model and the requirements must be clear so that they know that it is a special service.

The new system determines that the customer should not be harmed and that the digital package should meet all the needs and that there is an alternative to the service when not have standard service.

Operators may also transfer customers to new plans during the period of termination of the promised service and when there is no customer feedback about the subscription to the plan new nature.

However, automatic migration can only lead to a less or equal guarantee and no minimum dwell time.

(Patrick Fuentes / Folhapress)