The Consumer Affairs Authority said this evening that it is still finalising its position on whether it should have been consumers who should have informed Melita about their agreement to a new internet package contract, or vice versa.

In a statement issued several hours after the Labour Party accused the authority of dragging its feet on this issue for several weeks, the authority said that following complaints made to it directly and on a number of websites, meetings had been held with Melita and the Malta Communications Authority. It resulted that Melita (and GO in a separate issue) had been in constant contact with the MCA before they wrote to consumers about new tariff structures. 

Melita sent eight different versions of its letter to consumers, on the basis of their contracts. Its changes stemmed from the fact that its basic internet service was being upgraded from 5Mbps to 7Mbps free of charge for consumers. Initially consumers were informed that their service would be upgraded from 5Mbps to 15Mbps for an additional payment of €2.65 per month. Consumers were advised that if they did not reply by January 20, 2012, they would be considered as having accepted a new two-year contract if they only had the internet package. They were given the option of informing Melita through a note annexed to the letter, of through a form on the website.

As a result of the meeting with the MCA, the Maltese version of the letter was uploaded on the Melita website immediately and consumers were immediately informed of the free upgrade from  5Mbps to 7Mbps. Those who wrote to Melita started receiving the notification immediately.

In the light of all this, the Authority said, it was still finalising its position over whether it should have been the consumers to have informed Melita whether they agreed to the new contract, or vice versa.

With regard to GO, consumers were told that if they did not inform the company, they would be considered as accepting the new conditions and tariffs. They were given 30 days to terminate their contracts, if they disagreed without penalty, according to law.

See the authority's statement in full by clicking on the pdf below.