RTR: Conciliation cases increase by 22%

Press release dated 17 November 2008

"With 3,494 conciliation cases in the year 2007, RTR's conciliation body saw a drastic increase of more than 20% compared to 2006. This upward trend remains unchanged in the year 2008, in which we expect a total of 4,800 cases, thus breaking the previous record of 4,766 in 2004," comments Georg Serentschy, managing director of RTR's Telecommunications Division, on the regulatory authority's conciliation activities in 2007. "We attribute this trend to the constantly increasing diversity of products and services offered in the telecoms industry, and to a growing awareness of our conciliation body and the high-quality service it provides." 

"What is interesting is that – with one exception – the number of complaints regarding fixed-link operators has decreased, in some cases substantially, while the number of complaints about mobile operators has seen a marked increase," notes Serentschy on the development of conciliation activities. The reason behind this trend is the increased use of mobile data services and persistent problems with value-added text messages, as well as an increase in the number of disputes not involving rates and charges.

RTR conciliation cases saved consumers EUR 230,000 in 2007

"Approximately 30% of cases involved sums of 20 to 150 euros, while 20% of cases were in the 150 to 500 euro range," Serentschy adds. "The total value of all disputes recorded by RTR's conciliation body in the year 2007 was approximately 1.2 million euros, and the total amount of relief amounted to roughly 230,000 euros. The largest invoice amount submitted in a dispute was 18,580 euros, which was reduced by 9,333 euros thanks to the conciliation body's intervention."

For further information on RTR's services for consumers, please refer to the RTR web site ("Consumer services" section). The Conciliation Report 2007 can be downloaded using the link below.