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In Uzbekistan, the quality of telecommunications services has long raised concerns among citizens. Over the first nine months of 2024, the Antimonopoly Committee received nearly 2,000 complaints from mobile service and internet users. The main grievances involved poor service quality, incorrect billing, unauthorized activation of paid services, inflated bills, and unsolicited advertising SMS messages. As a result, officials mandated the return of 115 million sums—money that had been overcharged by operators—to consumers.
These complaints are not just minor inconveniences for users; they are serious indicators of systemic issues in the telecommunications sector. Why do such situations keep recurring, and what can be done to address them?
Root of the Problem: Why Do Operators Continue to Violate Rules?
One of the main reasons is insufficient oversight from regulatory bodies and weak enforcement of legal standards. Mobile operators, boasting a large number of subscribers, often act without proper regard for consumer rights, relying on the weak response of government bodies to complaints.
The lack of proper control has led to several serious violations:
- Poor Service Quality: Despite promises of high-speed internet and stable connections, many users face frequent disruptions in mobile and internet services. Infrastructure problems and insufficient investment in its development play a key role in this issue.
- Incorrect Billing: Billing errors can result from outdated accounting systems, lack of transparent payment mechanisms, and operator mistakes. These errors often lead to inflated bills.
- Unauthorized Activation of Paid Services: Many users have encountered situations where they were subscribed to paid content services without their consent. This violates users’ rights to choose and transparency in services. We have previously covered how to check and disable all paid services.
- Abuse of Advertising SMS: Spam messages and unsolicited SMS advertising have become a real scourge of mobile communication. Users are forced to endure this intrusive invasion of their personal space.
- Unnotified Changes in Tariffs and Prices: For many users, tariff hikes have come as a surprise. Operators often change service terms without notifying customers in advance.
How to Solve These Problems?
Government bodies must conduct regular checks of operators to ensure compliance with the law. This would allow violations to be detected early and corrective actions taken. The Antimonopoly Committee has already demonstrated that it can secure refunds for consumers, but this is not enough. Stricter day-to-day oversight of operators is needed.
Operators that repeatedly violate users’ rights should face more significant penalties. If violations involve incorrect billing or unauthorized activation of paid services, the consequences should not only be financial but also legal.
It is also important that users are informed of their rights. Mobile operators and government agencies can run informational campaigns to help citizens better understand how to avoid mistakes and scams by operators.
Additionally, every subscriber should have the option to opt-out of receiving advertising messages. Companies are obligated to inform users of this option and provide an easy mechanism for opting out.
Problems in the telecommunications sector directly impact people’s daily lives. In today’s world, mobile service and the internet are not luxuries but necessities. Every time subscribers face violations, it disrupts their personal and professional plans. And every time an operator unfairly charges extra for services, it breaks the trust between the company and the client. Subscribers have every right to demand honest and transparent terms. The government must ensure that these rights are protected, and operators must act in accordance with the law.
The article may contain inaccuracies as it is translated by AI. For more details, please refer to the Russian version of the article. If you notice any inaccuracies, you can send corrections via the Telegram bot: Uzvaibik_bot.
