Changing mobile phone providers now hassle-free

A consumer law comes into effect today preventing mobile phone operators from fining customers who switch to a rival network after six months, regardless of the length of their contract. Furthermore, consumers no longer have to send their notice of termination of contract by recorded delivery – all forms of written correspondence are now valid. The new legislation also gives users the right to be warned, free of charge, should they exceed a ceiling (minutes or megabytes) they set themselves. Finally, operators will now have to provide, on request, a table comprising all the services they offer, enabling customers to compare with other providers. One of the aims of this legislation is to trigger a price war between operators, as Belgian telecom rates are significantly higher than the European average.