Consumer Policy Toolkit Workshop: Communication Services

OECD Conference Centre, Paris, France, 25 October 2011

In July 2010, the Committee on Consumer Policy completed work on a Consumer Policy Toolkit. The Toolkit is a practical guide designed to aid policy makers in identifying and evaluating consumer problems and in developing effective policy responses. It is seen as being particularly well-suited for dealing with complex markets, where issues related to information and behavioural economics are evident.

The Committee is now conducting a series of workshops to see how policies in key markets could be strengthened, using the framework and approaches developed in the Toolkit. Communication services was selected as the first case study, in light of the significant challenges that consumers, policy makers, regulators and business are all facing.

The workshop examined the methods and techniques that governments, industry and other stakeholders are employing to address consumer problems in communication services. The discussion covered Internet, telephone and cable services. It focused on the following issues:

• Billing, e.g., unclear invoices, unauthoriszed false charges,
• Contract terms, e.g., unfairvorable terms and conditions, excessive restrictirestrictions, complexity, inadequate disclsoureve conditions,
• Misleading and fraudulent claims, e.g., exaggerated orand distorted statements, misleadingoverstated advertising.

This workshop was jointly organised by the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy (CCP) in co-operation with the Committee on Information, Communications and Computer Policy (ICCP) and its Working Party on Communication Infrastructures and Services Policy (CISP).

It drew on these bodies’ work, which is referenced below in the section “Further reading”.

The agenda, available presentations, an assessment template and a glossary of terms are accessible on the website.

• For any questions related to this event, please contact the OECD Secretariat (Maria-Chiara.BALDACCINI@oecd.org ). 

• Foresight Forum: Developments in Mobile Communication. The forum took place on 26 October 2011 (the day after the workshop), at the OECD Headquarters.

• Consumer Policy Toolkit (2010)
• Policy guidance for addressing emerging consumer protection and empowerment issues in mobile commerce (2008)
• International mobile data roaming (2010)
• Enhancing competition in telecommunications: protecting and empowering consumers (2008)
• Seoul Declaration for the Future of the Internet Economy (2008)
• Broadband bandling (2011)
• International mobile roaming: Charges in the OECD area (2009)
• Mobile commerce (2007)
• Enhancing competition in telecommunications: protecting and empowering consumers (2007)
• Further OECD publications relating to consumer protection issues in the Internet economy are available here.

Permanent URL: www.oecd.org/sti/consumer-policy/toolkit/workshop