Meteor to refund 55,000 customers over data charges error in recent years

An investigation by the communications regulator found discrepancies in Meteor’s data changes over a period between 2016 and 2017.

Regulations required Meteor to supply customers with details of out-of-bundle data charges, but ComReg found that the company had “not complied with its obligations under the Universal Service Regulations in 2016 and 2017”.

It said that a European regulation, which required Meteor to supply customers with contracts that specified, “in a clear, comprehensive and easily accessible manner, details of prices and tariffs as they relate to data overage and applicable charges” was not met.

“Meteor has agreed to refund a total amount of not less than €722,760 to approximately 55,000 customers for certain data charges during that period,” ComReg said in a statement.

“Current customers of Meteor who are due a refund will be notified of a credit applied to their account.”

ComReg said past customers will be refunded by a “Payzone voucher” using the contact details which Meteor has on its record.

Customers will have 90 days to claim the refund and the regulator confirmed that refunds will be completed by the end of July 2023.

Customers with queries about these refunds should visit the eir website.

Meteor launched in Ireland in 2001 and was bought by Eir in 2005. In 2017, Meteor was scrapped by Eir as it rebranded its operations as ‘Eir Mobile’.

At the time, between Eir and Meteor, the telecommunications provider had over 1.1 million customers.

In 2018, ComReg notified Meteor of a finding of “non-compliance” with its obligations under Regulation 14(2)(d) of the European Communities Regulations 2011.

“Following ComReg’s assessment of Meteor’s representations, ComReg found that Meteor’s non-compliance had been ongoing and had not been satisfactorily remedied whether following receipt of the Notification or otherwise,” the regulator said.

“Subsequently, ComReg formed an opinion that in 2016 and 2017 Meteor had not complied with its obligations under Regulation 14(2)(d) of the Universal Service Regulations, which required Meteor to supply customers with contracts that specified, in a clear, comprehensive and easily accessible manner, details of prices and tariffs as they relate to data overage and applicable charges.”

Comreg said Meteor has now taken certain remedial steps with regard to the breaches and has entered into a settlement agreement with the regulator.