The Polish competition authority, UOKiK, has accused Polkomtel of infringing collective consumer interests and employing unlawful contractual provisions. The allegations include the unauthorized charging of fees for maintaining a phone number, raising prices without legal basis, and providing incomplete information about service conditions on starter packages.

UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny emphasized that prepaid mobile services should offer consumers flexibility in usage and funding. However, Polkomtel's practices have reportedly forced customers to incur additional charges, undermining the intended benefits of prepaid services. For instance, customers are charged a fee of 5 PLN for maintaining their number if they do not meet certain activity thresholds, which can accumulate to 55 PLN annually.

Furthermore, UOKiK's analysis revealed that Polkomtel failed to notify customers about changes to their contracts regarding the number maintenance fee, lacking both legal and contractual grounds for such unilateral modifications. The authority also criticized Polkomtel for raising call and SMS fees without proper notification, affecting existing customer balances.

UOKiK has raised concerns about the clarity of information provided to consumers regarding the number maintenance fee, which is not adequately disclosed on starter package packaging. This lack of transparency prevents consumers from making informed decisions about their contracts.

If the allegations are confirmed, Polkomtel could face fines of up to 10% of its revenue for each contested practice and for employing unlawful contractual provisions. UOKiK is also investigating similar practices by other telecom companies, including P4 and Orange Polska.