Activating value added service like callertunes without consumer’s consent amounts to unfair trade practice, said Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Forum, directing the service provider to pay Rs. 5,000 to Juhu Road resident Suman Pandey for deducting Rs. 60 from her prepaid account towards charges for the company’s music service that was activated without her consent. For complete story, see http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Activating-mobile-services-without-user-s-consent-unfair/Article1-877934.aspx.

We have extensively highlighted this menace of unwanted value added services in past and also published a research paper on the same, Consumer and Telecom Industry In India. It has been a long standing concern that while regulations are in place to curb this menace, the poor implementation of the same is rendering the regulatory regime ineffective. Consumer Tadka applauds the stand of the Consumer Forum and hopes that concerned regulators shall take a cue and take steps to address the concerns in this regard more effectively.