The 10 benefits that telephone companies should give you on the occasion of the coronavirus

The SIC ordered the telecommunications providers to inform their clients about temporary changes in handling complaints and not suspending the service.

The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce ordered the providers of telephone, internet and subscription television services to report on the measures to be implemented in the provision of the service and that seek to guarantee the effective protection of the rights of their clients within the framework of the health emergency, due to the increase in claims received by users.

Also read: Mobile voice and internet services under $ 72,000 were exempt from VAT

one. Operators must report the suspension of care in physical offices and allow requests, complaints and claims (PQR) to be submitted by telephone seven days a week, until May 31, 2020. In addition, for the In case of reports of theft, and / or loss of cell phone, recharge activations, and service failures, the attention must be provided 24 hours a day.

2. Operators should inform users of postpaid mobile services that if they cannot pay for the service during the emergency period, it will not be suspended immediately. This applies to customers who pay less than $ 71,214, with internet plans of at least 1 GB, who have contracted the service before January 23, 2020 and who have carried traffic on the operator’s network.

3. Postpaid users will have an additional 30 days to pay for their plan before service is suspended. In addition, once the emergency is over, the user will have 30 calendar days to pay the periods due without being charged late interest.

Four. Prepaid users will be able to send 200 free text messages and receive the same number of messages without restriction 30 days after the balance ends. This applies to those who are active in this modality at least since January 23, 2020.

5. For fixed and mobile services, from April 17 to May 31, 2020, no charge will be generated associated with interest for late payment for amounts that are not paid in a timely manner.

6. Operators must inform telephone lines and digital channels arranged for the attention of users and make clear the requests that may be submitted by said means. This does not imply any variation in the terms defined in the law to respond to your requirements.

7. Invoices and PQR responses may be sent by electronic means even when the user has not authorized, unless effective delivery cannot be guaranteed, in which case it will be sent by physical means.

8. In case of problems with billing, termination and / or modification of the contract, suspension, plan change, content messages and applications, users must first go to the operator to obtain a solution, and later to the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce. in case of not obtaining a response from the operator, or not being satisfied with it.

9. Users should be instructed about free navigation on the Colombia Aprende Educational Portal (https://movil.colombiaaprende.edu.co), which has the best ICT tools to support educational processes throughout the community, including those that have been released free of charge at the juncture of COVID-19.

10. The Superintendency created the “COVID Benefits” tool on the SIC FACILITA digital platform, which allows users of telecommunications services to resolve their requests and complaints directly, quickly and free of charge with service providers.

The SIC also said that companies must ensure that clients are informed of the administrative rules issued by the regulator through non-contact service channels. In case of breach of the order, fines of up to 1,000 monthly minimum wages will be imposed.