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LONDON (Alliance News) - Ofcom has fined mobile operator EE Ltd GBP1 million for failing to comply with rules on handling customer complaints, the UK media and communications regulator said Friday.
EE is currently in the process of being acquired by FTSE 100 telecoms company BT Group PLC.
The Ofcom investigation found EE did not provide certain customers with accurate or adequate information about their right to take their complaint to an alternative dispute resolution during the period under review, which covered July 22, 2011 to April 8, 2014.
Ofcom said EE failed to send out written notifications to a number of customers which should have outlined their right to take their complaint to an alternative dispute resolution eight weeks after the issue was first raised and said the company failed to state in its Customer Complaints Code that customer could access the scheme via a 'deadlock letter'.
Alternative Dispute Resolution allows customers to refer complaints that cannot be resolved with their provider to an independent body, which can reach an impartial judgement.
As a result of the Ofcom probe, EE has amended its Customer Complaints Code to include a correct reference to its obligation to offer a 'deadlock letter' and has amended the information provided on its bills to make clear that customers can use an alternative dispute resolution as no cost.
By Sam Unsted; samunsted@alliancenews.com; @SamUAtAlliance
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