Communications Authority fines GO €15,000

The Malta Communications Authority has fined GO plc €15,000 after upholding a complaint by Melita about bundled services.

The MCA said that GO had breached its obligation to seek prior approval from the Authority for the inclusion of additional free minutes in Home Pack packages in accordance with a decision taken in September 2006 on bundled services.

Melita had made claims concerning GO's Homepack, retailing at €42 per month and another bundle retailing at €33 per month as well as a special offer made last March.

The MCA said that it resulted during investigations that the Homepack €42 product started to include 60 minutes of calls to other local phone line numbers monthly but it did not result that GO had sought prior approval from the Authority for the inclusion of these additional free minutes.

GO claimed there was a misunderstanding and the Talk Anytime element was originally plugged into the bundle and remained untouched.

The MCA disagreed, and noted that GO itself was regularly requesting its clearance before launching bundles that included an access telephone element.