Trai directs Vodafone to refund VAS charges levied without consent

New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) Telecom regulator, Trai today directed Vodafone Essar Mobile Services Limited to refund the charges it had levied on its customers for value added services without their consent.

In a statement, Trai called on Vodafone Essar to refund the charges within fifteen days, to the users for value added services in all cases where it provided, without their consent.

The Authority said it had received complaints from the subscribers of Vodafone Essar that they have been provided with value added services without consent.

These services include cases where subscribers denied or disputed having given their consent for activation of such value added services or for continuation of such services which were initially offered free of charge.

''In the above circumstances, to protect the interests of consumers, the Authority directed M/s Vodafone Essar Mobile Services Ltd to refund to all consumers, within fifteen days, the charges levied by the M/s Vodafone for value added services, in all cases where the value added services were provided without explicit consent, including all cases where subscribers denied or disputed having given their consent for activation of such value added services or for continuation of such services which were initially offered free of charge,'' said the Trai statement.

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