Since 1 November 2024 end-users, whose telecom service (Internet, TV, fixed or mobile telephony) has suffered a full interruption of at least 8 consecutive hours, are entitled to a compensation from their telecom operator thanks to a new article of law.
After 8 hours the subscriber is entitled to a compensation of at least 1 euro. After 24 hours an additional euro and 50 cent is added for each day of continued interruption. However, subscribers are entitled to at least one thirtieth of the monthly subscription fee if that exceeds the value of the afore-mentioned compensation.
Telecom operators may also offer the customer a compensation in kind, e.g. a free movie, provided that the value thereof matches at least that of the financial compensation. Yet, customers are not obliged to accept that offer and may still choose the financial compensation.
It is up to the telecom operator to determine the duration of the interruption and offer the compensation.
In the case of fixed services, the interruption has to occur at the domicile address and in the case of mobile services at the billing address. Except in the case of prepaid cards (see below), the affected subscriber does not need to submit an actual request for compensation himself. However, the affected subscriber has an interest in reporting the interruption to his operator. For an operator cannot always immediately be aware of which of all of his services is suffering an interruption at which subscriber. That is especially the case for mobile services.
It is not just that the sooner an operator is informed, the sooner he can intervene to repair the interruption. The right to any compensation also starts 8 hours following the moment the operator becomes aware of the interruption. Moreover, this way, the operator already knows for sure who is entitled to compensation.
In the case of users of prepaid cards, it is possible that the operator in question does not know their address. That is why these users are asked to communicate their address to the operator. If that shows that this address is situated within the area in which the interruption has occurred, this user is entitled to the compensation.