Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Part A U.K. Facilities and services referred to in Articles 88 and 115

When applied on the basis of Article 88, Part A is applicable to consumers and other categories of end-users where Member States have extended the beneficiaries of Article 88(2).

When applied on the basis of Article 115, Part A is applicable to the categories of end-users determined by Member States, except for points (c), (d) and (g) of this Part which are applicable only to consumers.

(a)

Itemised billing

Member States shall ensure that competent authorities in coordination, where relevant, with national regulatory authorities, subject to the requirements of relevant law on the protection of personal data and privacy, may lay down the basic level of itemised bills which are to be offered by providers to end-users free of charge in order that they can:

(i)

allow verification and control of the charges incurred in using internet access services or voice communications services, or number-based interpersonal communications services in the case of Article 115; and

(ii)

adequately monitor their usage and expenditure and thereby exercise a reasonable degree of control over their bills.

Where appropriate, additional levels of detail may be offered to end-users at reasonable tariffs or at no charge.

Such itemised bills shall include an explicit mention of the identity of the supplier and of the duration of the services charged by any premium numbers unless the end-user has requested that information not to be mentioned.

Calls which are free of charge to the calling end-users, including calls to helplines, shall not be required to be identified in the calling end-user’s itemised bill.

National regulatory authorities may require operators to provide calling-line identification free of charge.

(b)

Selective barring for outgoing calls or premium SMS or MMS, or, where technically feasible, other kinds of similar applications, free of charge

namely, the facility whereby the end-users can, on request to the providers of voice communications services, or number-based interpersonal communications services in the case of Article 115, bar outgoing calls or premium SMS or MMS or other kinds of similar applications of defined types or to defined types of numbers free of charge.

(c)

Pre-payment systems

Member States shall ensure that competent authorities in coordination, where relevant, with national regulatory authorities may require providers to offer means for consumers to pay for access to the public electronic communications network and use of voice communications services, or internet access services, or number-based interpersonal communications services in the case of Article 115, on pre-paid terms.

(d)

Phased payment of connection fees

Member States shall ensure that competent authorities in coordination, where relevant, with national regulatory authorities may require providers to allow consumers to pay for connection to the public electronic communications network on the basis of payments phased over time.

(e)

Non-payment of bills

Member States shall authorise specified measures, which are to be proportionate, non-discriminatory and published, to cover non-payment of bills issued by providers. Those measures are to ensure that due warning of any consequent service interruption or disconnection is given to the end-users beforehand. Except in cases of fraud, persistent late payment or non-payment, those measures shall ensure, as far as is technically feasible, that any service interruption is confined to the service concerned. Disconnection for non-payment of bills shall take place only after due warning is given to the end-users. Member States may allow a period of limited service prior to complete disconnection, during which only calls that do not incur a charge to the end-users (for example, calls to the ‘112’ number) and minimum service level of internet access services, defined by Member States in light of national conditions, are permitted.

(f)

Tariff advice

namely, the facility whereby end-users may request the provider to offer information regarding alternative lower-cost tariffs, if available.

(g)

Cost control

namely, the facility whereby providers offer other means, if determined to be appropriate by competent authorities in coordination, where relevant, with national regulatory authorities, to control the costs of voice communications services or internet access services, or number-based interpersonal communications services in the case of Article 115, including free-of-charge alerts to consumers in the case of abnormal or excessive consumption patterns.

(h)

facility to deactivate third party billing

namely, the facility for end-users to deactivate the ability for third party service providers to use the bill of a provider of an internet access service or a provider of a publicly available interpersonal communications service to charge for their products or services.