UAE telecom operators not allowed to charge fee for technical visits – report

UAE’s Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) has clarified that local telecom service providers – Etisalat and du – are not permitted to collect any fees from customers for technical visits, local media outlet Khaleej Times reported.

No service charge is to be collected for technical visits to fix weak or disrupted services. This encompasses all telecommunication services, such as cell phones, landlines, and internet connections.

It is mandatory for both telecom operators to dispatch technical assistance and fix the issue at the earliest, the report said.

The TRA received multiple complaints from customers who experienced disruptions in services despite paying their dues.

Customers were asked to pay Dhs100 for technical visits to have the network disruptions fixed for no fault of their own, the report added.

Earlier this month, TRA instructed the decommissioning of mobile app purchases using consumers’ mobile numbers, effective November 1. Alternatively, consumers could set a cap on the value of purchases from app stores by informing their service provider.

This move was to protect consumers across the country and prevent any surprise charges in their monthly bills.

Read: UAE levies new rules on mobile app store purchases