Further consultation launched on Customer Charter for internet and phone providers

ComReg is consulting further on its proposals for implementing a Customer Charter for providers of internet and phone services. On 16 March 2023 ComReg issued a consultation document titled “Proposals for implementing a Customer Charter” (“Consultation 23/14”) which gave interested stakeholders the opportunity to provide their views on ComReg’s proposals for implementing Charters. ComReg received fifteen responses to Consultation 23/14. ComReg proposes to maintain several of its original preliminary views set out in Consultation 23/14. However, having taken full account of the views expressed by respondents, ComReg has revised some of its preliminary views and is now consulting on these which include:

• that Relevant Service Providers are allowed further flexibility in articulating information relating to quality-of-service levels offered for specified categories of customer service in their Charters;
• revised wording to be used where Relevant Service Providers choose not to offer any quality of customer service levels;
• a new ordering of the Charter sections so that sections which contain information on customer service levels offered are brought to the top of Charters giving that information prominence;
• changing the categories of customer service to be included in the Charter. ComReg proposes to also include an explicit section for refunds, end-user compensation and accessibility, while ComReg proposes to remove categories of customer service on “Disconnections for non-payment of bills” and “Switching”;
• that the Commitment period is quarterly, a Relevant Service Provider should publish a Charter containing quarterly Commitments;
• that in respect of measuring and auditing of performance and reporting to ComReg, a Relevant Service Provider may, in lieu of a statement from an independent Auditor, provide Sign-off (in a ComReg-specified form) by an Officer of the Company (being a director or chief executive officer).

ComReg maintains its original preliminary view that the introduction of a Charter is appropriate and necessary and Relevant Service Providers with a market share of 0.5% or greater will be required to:

• Prepare, publish and keep updated a Charter as specified by ComReg pursuant to section 38 (2) of the 2023 Act, and
• Measure its performance against the standards set out in its Charter and to report to ComReg on such performance in the form specified in Schedule 3, pursuant to section 38 (4) of the 2023 Act.

ComReg also maintains its original preliminary view on an implementation period of three months, from when the response to consultation and final decision is issued, for providers to publish their initial Charters. In Consultation 23/14, ComReg proposed, as part of a phased approach in respect of the Charter, that subsequent to the publication of the Charters it would conduct an adequacy review as to the levels of customer service commitments before deciding whether to specify Minimum Quality of Service Standards. However, the revised proposals for the Charter focus on achieving transparency and comparability of levels of quality of service for end-users and consumers. ComReg’s revised proposal regarding the articulation of levels of quality of customer service on the basis of a range and not at the individual level, facilitates this approach. Furthermore, ComReg reserves its rights to intervene to establish Minimum Quality of Service Standards subject to consultation, at any time, if it considers it appropriate. ComReg invites responses to the questions set out in the Further Consultation and Draft Decision and, having considered responses, ComReg will publish its response to consultation and final decision. To make a submission please contact us by post or email: Subject Line: Submissions to ComReg 25/05 Email: retailconsult@comreg.ie Post: Commission for Communications Regulation, Retail Policy One Dockland Central, 1 Guild St., North Dock, Dublin 1, D01 E4XO, Ireland Deadline: 5:30pm on 20 February 2025 If interested parties require any clarification or have any questions on the further consultation, please contact ComReg by email using the above address.