It is the end of the “Zero Classification” offers in Portugal
In 2018, ANACOM issued an ultimatum to operators MEO, NOS and Vodafone. After monitoring zero-rating offers and other similar ones made available by mobile Internet access engines, ANACOM concluded that these violate the Single Market Telecom Regulation (TSM) and the Roaming Regulation, with regard to the rules on neutrality, respectively. network and roaming.
Recently, ANACOM expected a sense of decision that determined to requests for Internet access services (PSAI) the cessation of ‘zero-rating’ and similar offers.
Zero Rating is a commercial practice used by some Internet access service operators, especially mobile operators, in which the volume of data from specific services and applications is included in the monthly limit of users' data volume.
This type of tariff promotes a wide variety of offers for users who are more sensitive to prices, encouraging them to use digital services.
The National Communications Authority (Anacom) "approved a social security decision in which it determines Internet access service providers (PSAI) to cease offering 'zero-rating' and similar offers that discriminate, based on commercial issues , between traffic relating to 'zero-rated' applications and the remaining traffic", reads the statement.
This termination, it adds, "must take place within 20 working days after the date of the final decision, in the case of offers available for new subscriptions, and 90 working days after the date of the final decision, in the case of contracts currently in execution" .
In addition, "the PSAI must, in this sequence, send ANACOM, within 90 working days after the date of the final decision, detailed information on the changes made to the respective availability to accommodate the decision of this Authority, as well as the information disclosed to end users".
In order to mitigate the negative potential arising from this type of offer, "namely in terms of freedom of choice for end users, in the aforementioned decision of 2018 ANACOM had already recommended an approximation of traffic volumes between the different 'plafonds' of use, preferably through the increase in traffic volumes of the general 'plafonds'", he adds.
The meaning of the decision is in public consultation until December 15.