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In response to media enquiries regarding the complaints received by the Consumer Council on telecommunications and broadcasting services, a spokesman for the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau made the following statement today (January 4):
"The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) has been closely monitoring the market situation and will take appropriate regulatory action against any operator who is found in breach of the licence conditions and/or the Telecommunications Ordinance.
"The relatively large number of complaints involving telecommunications and related goods and services is mainly attributable to the high penetration rates of telecommunications services involving a large number of contractual transactions, and the increasing complexity of service packages.
"In this connection, OFTA has joined up with the Consumer Council to launch a consumer education campaign, and will continue its regulatory efforts to uphold fair trading and further protect consumer interests."
Regarding the public complaints against pay television services, the spokesman pointed out that the Broadcasting Authority (BA) was also very concerned about the increasing number of complaints against pay TV operators' selling and marketing practices.
"Although the BA is not empowered by the law to investigate alleged malpractice in this respect, it will refer complaints received to the operators concerned for follow-up. In August 2005, the BA wrote to all pay TV operators urging them to improve their sales and promotional activities," he said.
Ends/Wednesday, January 4, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:53
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