The President of the Polish competition authority, Tomasz Chróstny, has raised concerns against telecommunications companies Orange and T-Mobile for allegedly presenting prices that mislead consumers. The operators have been accused of advertising prices that include optional discounts as if they were standard rates, which can obscure the true cost of services for consumers.

Both companies offer discounts to subscribers for actions such as opting for electronic invoices or consenting to marketing communications. However, during investigations, it was found that these discounted prices were presented as standard rates in advertisements and during sales calls. Consumers are often enticed by attractive offers but are not clearly informed that failing to meet certain conditions could lead to higher charges.

For instance, T-Mobile advertises a monthly discount of 5 PLN for agreeing to marketing communications and using electronic invoices. Consumers may not realize that the presented price is conditional. The company has been criticized for not clearly disclosing the price without discounts or the conditions tied to the discounts, leading to confusion during the decision-making process.

Orange has been found to engage in similar practices, promoting prices that include discounts for marketing consents and bundled services. Additionally, Orange penalizes customers who fail to pay their bills on time by increasing their invoices by the amount of the discount they received for bundling services, which can be particularly harsh for those who have multiple lines.

The President of the competition authority has indicated that such practices may violate consumer rights and could be considered a form of contractual penalty, which is not permissible under civil law unless tied to non-monetary obligations. If the allegations are confirmed, both Orange and T-Mobile could face significant fines.

These companies are not alone in facing scrutiny; other telecom operators such as Vectra, Multimedia Polska, P4 (Play), and Netia have also been accused of similar misleading practices.