Telenet: Exceptional Increase in Complaints

Telenet: Exceptional Increase in Complaints

2023 stands out for a significant number of mediation complaints, mainly due to unresolved front-line disputes against Telenet. This operator generated 6,620 complaints, lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman. This is more than three times compared with 2022, when 1,980 mediation complaints were lodged against Telenet. An overview of the twenty most frequent and/or remarkable user issues were highlighted. The first fifteen issues described concern structural problems, ranked according to the number of complaints. The following four issues regard difficulties in reaching the operator. Finally, the twentieth point deals with the lack of compliance with the solutions negotiated by the Office of the Ombudsman.

1. Unprocessed cancellation requests
2. Problems with the activation of new modems and decoders
3. No refunds of credits tot the customer
4. Online purchased devices are not delivered
5. Fixed telecom services not available after a relocation
6. No access to emails
7. Unexpected data costs due to lack of warning messages
8. Incorrect invoicing of a deposit for rental equipment
9. Postal invoices are sent unrequested electronically or reach the user late
10. Takeover request not carried out
11. Expired invoices undermine users’ rights
12. Unlawful termination of the social tariff
13. Requests for subscription change not carried out
14. Suspension of acces to mobile internet
15. Invoices are no longer issued
16. Long waiting times for customer service frontline
17. Lack of customer focus and solution oriented
18. Reductions in channels to reach Telenet
19. No access to the online customer zone
20. No proper handling of amicable settlements

It goes without saying that these important issues, for which a top 20 has been established in this chapter, have led to an increased number of contacts with Telenet’s front-line services. The stories of the complainants leave no doubt that the Telenet helpdesk, regardless of the channel chosen, was not prepared for such a large influx of front-line questions and complaints. Customers have faced long waiting times or found that they were been helped, so they often have not seen any other option than contacting the Office of the Ombudsman.

Despite some exceptions, the intervention of the Office of the Ombudsman generally accelerated the desired solution. The complainants who were waiting for weeks for their telecommunications services to be activated were often able to surf the internet or watch TV shows a few days later and received acceptable compensation. Several months after the actual request for termination of Telenet services, the request could still be executed retroactively. At the same time, the remaining credit was nevertheless repaid, following the insistence of the complainants. Unexpected, high mobile data costs, which caused users many sleepless nights, were completely cancelled after conciliation. The beneficiaries of the social tariff were relieved when Telenet granted them the reduction on the monthly bills again and compensated for the missed reductions. Subscribers who did not receive an invoice for six months were also helped and ultimately had to pay only the last three invoices.