Unpaid bill

Can I still make calls or use the internet if I don't pay my telecom bill?

If you are unable to pay your telecom bill, your operator is required to follow certain steps before they suspend your service:

1. First, you will receive a written reminder. This first reminder is free of charge.
   
   ! lmportant: The reminder message does not have to be a letter. A reminder text or email is possible as well.
    
2. Subsequent reminders can cost no more than €10 each.
    
3. After that, your operator can activate a ‘minimum service’. In that case:

• you will only be able to make calls to the emergency services. However, other people can call you and you can receive text messages as well. 
  Instead of activating a minimum service, your mobile operator also has the option to change your plan to a prepaid card formula;
• your upload and download speed will be reduced to the speed applied when you’ve used up your included internet volume. If that is not provided for in your plan, your speed may be reduced to 256 Kbps.

! Important: In the event of fraud or a second non-payment after a previous minimum service or a service suspension during the past 12 months, your operator can immediately suspend all services.

4. If you do not pay your invoice during the minimum service, you will receive a notice of default. Should you not pay your invoice even after the notice of default, your operator can suspend the service completely.   

If the suspended service is reactivated after payment, your operator can charge ‘reactivation costs’. These cannot exceed €30. Next to that, there could be other costs as well, for example if a technician has to come by.

An unpaid telecom bill may lead to additional costs. These, however, must be described in the terms of sale and fall within certain legal limits: 

1. The interest on the outstanding amount cannot not exceed the statutory interest rate. 
2. Further compensation payments depend on your outstanding amount, but cannot exceed: 

• €20, if the outstanding amount does not exceed €150;
• €30 plus 10% of the outstanding amount for the bracket between €150.01 and €500, if the outstanding amount is between €150.01 and €500;
• €65 plus 5% of the outstanding amount for the bracket above €500, with a maximum of €2000, if the outstanding amount exceeds €500.

• Common Assistance Service Finder tool
• Single Market Obstacles tool
• Common Feedback tool