Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Agency for the Protection of Consumer Rights won two courts for violations of the rules for the provision of mobile services in Beeline Uzbekistan.

Back in March of this year, the Agency for the Protection of Consumer Rights under the Antimonopoly Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan initiated a case against UNITEL LLC (Beeline Uzbekistan) on grounds of violation of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Protection of Consumer Rights" and the Rules for the provision of mobile services.

In July 2019, UNITEL announced a promotional campaign for connecting subscribers to the “Be in the know” service for a free promotional period (10 and 30 days). This promotion was intended for those subscribers for whom this service was not connected. But at the end of the free period, this service (according to the terms of the promotion, it WAS NOT DISCONNECTED automatically.

On the contrary, it was charged at a cost of 240 soums per day according to the approved price list.

In total, over 3.2 million subscribers were connected under this promotion, of which 1.2 million subscribers turned off the service on their own.

As of May 2020, this service continued to be connected to almost 1.3 million subscribers.

On 3 July 2020, a special commission of the Agency for the Protection of Consumer Rights issued a decision and an order to UNITEL LLC on the fact of violations of consumer protection legislation, namely on violation of Article 21 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Protection of Consumer Rights" and paragraphs 25 and 26 Of the Rules for the provision of mobile services. 

The order consisted of requirements to disable the “Be in the know” service to subscribers to whom it was connected during the promotional period and to whom it continues to be provided, as well as to compensate for the damage caused. In this case, the amount of damage for each subscriber is determined according to the amount of money written off for the "Be in the know" service and is reimbursed by crediting to the subscriber’s account.

UNITEL, taking advantage of its legal right, in August 2020 applied to Shaykhantakhur District Administrative Court with a demand to recognize the order issued by the Agency as invalid. During the trial, the court rejected UNITEL and considered the Agency’s demands to be legal. But in October, UNITEL LLC again appealed to the Tashkent City Administrative Court with an appeal. However, here, too, the previous court decision was left unchanged, and the appeal of UNITEL LLC was also refused.

On 13 November, UNITEL on its official website www.beeline.uz posted an announcement that from November 23rd, the “Be in the know” service will be disconnected for those subscribers to whom it was connected during the 2019 promotion.

The proceedings initiated by the Consumer Protection Agency, which lasted for 9 months (March - November 2020), were resolved in favor of consumers. To date, the amount of damage caused to subscribers of Beeline Uzbekistan is estimated at more than 20 billion soums. It is gratifying that these funds have already begun to be returned to the company’s subscribers to their personal accounts in national currency.

The Agency for the Protection of Consumer Rights reminds that performers (sellers, manufacturers) are obliged in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Protection of Consumer Rights":

provide accurate and complete information about goods (works, services);

not to restrict consumers in the right of free choice, and not to impose the purchase of additional goods (works, services);

to reimburse consumers for all losses, moral harm caused to them by goods (work, service) with defects that are dangerous to life, health and property, as well as illegal.