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The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) and the Consumer Council have joined hands, with backing from the telecommunication industry, to produce a consumer education programme in relation to the purchase of fixed-line telecommunications services. The two organisations announced that the programme would be launched tomorrow (Monday, November 21).
The education programme is intended to raise consumer awareness of the importance of making informed choices, and in particular to understand the terms and conditions for the telecommunications services they are considering and assess the many options in the marketplace carefully.
"Given the great variety of service plans and packages available in the market and the rapid development of telecommunications technology, it is important for consumers to fully understand the key terms of the particular service contract that they are intending to sign. A consumer should know, for instance, the payment terms, the contractual period, their rights and obligations under the contract, as well as the rights and obligations of the service provider. Careful consideration before signing will avoid subsequent disputes between the consumers and their service providers," said an OFTA spokesperson.
The education programme includes:
1 ) Short TV and radio announcements to be broadcast by all TV and radio stations from tomorrow (November 21);
2 ) Radio programmes to be broadcast on each of Metro Radio's three channels starting from tomorrow;
3 ) Posters to be displayed at all MTR stations; and
4 ) Seminars started in September this year for social workers and the elderly.
"We commend all parties concerned for the initiative in this concerted effort to raise consumer awareness in the purchase of telecommunications services," said a spokesperson of the Consumer Council.
"As consumer dissatisfaction involving telecom service has consistently been high on the list of complaints received by the Council, we sincerely hope the public will heed the pre-shopping advice and take the sensible steps to avoid the need for complaints afterwards," the spokesperson urged.
"We are also very pleased to have the support of two celebrities from the performing industry, Mr. CHUNG King-fai and Ms. TANG Shui-man, to cast in the TV and radio announcements and the posters. Their performance will help the educational message reach the public effectively," he added.
"The English slogan for this campaign - 'Your Choice is on the Line' - has three relevant aspects," said OFTA's spokesperson.
"The literal interpretation is 'you are choosing a fixed-line telecommunications service.' Secondly, it reminds consumers to read through the contract carefully in order to make the right choice. Thirdly, it describes the seriousness of the signing process, whereby the consumer's choice cannot be easily changed once they have signed on the "dotted line" of the contract. Consumers are therefore advised not to make hasty decisions," explained the spokesperson.
All the educational materials for this programme will be posted on OFTA's (www.ofta.gov.hk) and the Consumer Council's web sites (www.consumer.org.hk) starting from November 21.
Office of the Telecommunications Authority
Consumer Council
Sunday, 20 November 2005