Fines to mobile operators for arbitrary charges to consumers

            November 26, 2012

After thorough investigation of allegations on arbitrary and exorbitant charges to subscribers
mainly concerning internet access via mobile devices, the EETT Plenary unanimously decided to
impose fines totaling EUR 6.65 million οn the three mobile operators, namely 3.5 million EUR to
COSMOTE, 2.5 million EUR to VODAFONE and 650.000 EUR to WIND respectively.

Specifically, it was found that the service of data transfer was activated in violation of the
law, without prior notice to subscribers, resulting in high charges. These charges concerned mainly
users of smartphones, due to automatic updates of their devices involving transfers of large
amounts of data. For this infringement COSMOTE was fined with €EUR 1.5 million, VODAFONE with EUR 1
million and WIND with EUR 500 thousand.

For violation of the automatically activated daily fee program to users who had not chosen to
subscribe to such kind of program, COSMOTE was fined with EUR 2 million (for the service “Internet
Day Pass”), and VODAFONE was fined with EUR 1.5 million (for the service “Internet all day”).
Furthermore, the Plenary, at the same session, imposed to WIND a fine of EUR 150 thousand for
arbitrary activation of fixed telephony services to subscribers who did not request it.

The fines were defined by company, based on the extent of the infringement, the total number of
affected subscribers, the economic harm caused to consumers, the increased revenue of the companies
that emerged from the infringements and the need to discourage such malpractices in the future.
EETT will continue its vigorous audits protecting public interest and consumer rights as well as
promoting transparency in the market.