Trouble for throttling: Telekom users call for better consumer protection

EU legislation and consumer protection in focus

The telecommunications industry in Germany is faced with a critical phase, since legal framework conditions in the European Union have direct effects on the services of one of the largest providers, Deutsche Telekom. In particular, the EU Ordinance 2015/2120, which regulates open access to the Internet, forces companies to take measures to optimize the network that are encountered by many customers.

A central problem for users who use their SIM cards in routers is speed choking. This applies in particular to customers with the MagentaMobil and MagentaMobil Flex tariffs, in which throttling is carried out based on the use of traffic management practices. These changes that came into force on April 1st aim to ensure network stability, but they lead to considerable inconvenience among the affected users.

Consumer protection officers indicate that the practices mentioned above may violate the principles of network neutrality. The Consumer Center Federal Association criticizes that Deutsche Telekom, through uneven data management strategies, may provide advantages, which leads to private customers being disadvantaged. These violations of fair competitive conditions are an important topic in consumer protection and raise questions about the fairness and accessibility of the Internet.

The arising problems addressed by affected customers on social media and forums illustrate the urgency of a solution. Consumers often report unexpectedly slow connection speeds, especially during peak times. These difficulties can lead to customers using their special right of termination in order to step out of long -term contracts with limited performance.

In addition to these challenges, the EU roaming regulations bring further uncertainties. While users can use their mobile data outside of Germany, these options are limited in time, which can result in unwanted costs, especially on vacation. It stands for service providers such as Deutsche Telekom to find a balance between compliance with regulatory requirements and the procurement of customer satisfaction. The balance between regulations and the demands of consumers will remain a central topic in the coming months.