On June 6, 2025, the Finnish Market Court issued a prohibition against Telia Finland Oyj regarding the pricing of its telephone-based customer service for existing contracts. This decision was made in response to a request from the Consumer Ombudsman, who argued that consumers should not incur higher costs for calls to customer service than they would for regular geographical fixed-line or mobile network calls.

The court's ruling, which includes a conditional fine of EUR 150,000, mandates compliance by September 1, 2025. The Consumer Ombudsman has urged other companies to adjust their pricing structures to align with this decision once it becomes final.

The case originated when the Consumer Ombudsman sought clarification from the Market Court on the maximum costs consumers could face when calling companies about existing contracts or previous purchases. The legislation aims to ensure that consumers can manage their contracts, file complaints, and exercise their rights without incurring additional costs.

Telia's customer service number operates as a nationwide business number, which typically incurs higher charges than regular phone numbers. Currently, the cost for calling this number ranges from 17 to 18 cents per minute, depending on the mobile operator. The Market Court agreed with the Consumer Ombudsman that consumers should not pay more for contract-related calls than they would for regular calls, deeming Telia's pricing practices contrary to consumer protection law.

The Consumer Ombudsman has been advocating for changes in the regulation of contract-related calls since 2018, and although legislation was amended in 2020, the issues raised were not adequately addressed. The Market Court's decision is still subject to appeal and is not yet final.