Irate customers are being urged to file complaints against Go and Melita with the Consumer and Competition Department if they feel aggrieved by the abrupt removal of popular stations Living TV and Comedy Central.
The Consumer Affairs Directorate within the department, which is investigating whether these companies broke consumer law, said it had, so far, received four formal complaints.
However, the directorate urged “all consumers who feel they are in any way aggrieved to lodge a formal complaint with the department”.
It explained that its investigations would establish whether Melita and Go had the rights to provide and sell the programmes, which are said by Living TV to have been aired illegally, without any of the necessary authorisation.
When it comes to public complaints, the directorate will liaise with the service provider with the aim of reaching an amicable solution, and if this is not reached, consumers should seek redress in the Consumers Claims Tribunal or in court. Meanwhile, dissatisfied customers are flooding the Consumer Affairs Council with complaints about the telecommunications sector, many involving the removal of Living TV and Comedy Central. The council is an independent body which advises the Finance Minister when compiling regulations about consumer affairs.
The council said it was “preoccupied” by the prevailing situation within the sector which was “probably the one where most complaints by consumers are being registered”.
“Such complaints could include possible misleading advertising, unfair contract terms, unfair commercial practices, difficulties to migrate from one operator to the other and instances of possible abuse of consumer rights,” the council said in a press release.
It was now holding meetings with the Malta Communications Authority and the department.
These statements further strengthen the claims by Nationalist MP David Agius that Melita and Go were “taking customers for a ride”.
Mr Agius, who earlier this year campaigned unsuccessfully to enable Maltese viewers to watch English, Italian and European football without having to subscribe to both providers, said this incident was an “added insult to the consumers”.
Meanwhile, the MCA has clarified its position with regard to subscribers’ compensation saying it was not empowered by the laws it administers to force service providers to compensate aggrieved subscribers.
“Nevertheless, as already stated by the MCA, this does not exclude the possibility that aggrieved consumers may seek redress before other forums,” a spokesman said, referring to its previous statement which said customers could approach the Consumer Claims Tribunal.