The Polish competition authority, UOKiK, has taken action against Orange Polska for violating consumer rights by unilaterally changing contract terms and imposing fees on prepaid phone users for inactivity. The company charged a fee of 5 PLN for maintaining a phone number if the customer did not actively use the service within a specified period.

Between May 2022 and January 2024, Orange Polska failed to inform customers about these charges at the point of sale, leading to unexpected fees for users who did not make calls or use data. This practice was deemed unlawful as it contradicted the principles of prepaid services, which are supposed to allow customers to use services freely without hidden costs.

UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny emphasized that consumers should not be penalized for not meeting arbitrary usage requirements set by the company. The imposed fine totals 34,030,000 PLN, and while the decision is not yet final, Orange Polska has the right to appeal in court.

This case is part of UOKiK's broader efforts to address additional charges imposed on consumers using prepaid telecommunications services, with similar allegations also raised against other companies like P4 and Polkomtel.