Telecoms provider Sure has confirmed 1 in 50 of its mobile phone customers could be paying less if they switch mobile phone contracts.
They’re a small group who took out contracts before January 2017 which included a handset as part of the package.
CICRA says that by not moving to a SIM-only deal once the handset has been paid off, those customers may be paying over the odds.
The regulator looked into the scale of the issue after similar reports were raised by Citizens’ Advice in the UK. It found in the Channel islands that Airtel had stopped selling handset-inclusive deals more than five years ago, and JT ended them in 2013.
Sure will be writing to all affected customers over the next few weeks to say they’ll be automatically moved to cheaper plans unless they specifically state they don’t want to.
Louise Read, director of CICRA, said: “We raised this issue with the operators because it is our responsibility to inform and protect local consumers and ensure that they are getting the best deal and not paying more than they need to. Having identified the impact on some Sure customers we welcome the steps it is taking to address the issue.”
In response, Alistair Beak, CMO of Sure, said: “We have worked with CICRA to decide upon the best route forward for this small number of customers and agree that the time has come to automatically move them onto one of our new SIM only plans. We will write to all affected customers to ensure they are aware of the move and invite them to speak with us if they’d like further explanation or to ensure they’re on the best tariff for their needs.”
