The consumer protection organization of the German-speaking part (Konsumentenschutz) has singled out Sunrise and filed a complaint against the telecommunications company at the Zurich district court for unfair competition.
The foundation’s goal is to have certain clauses in Sunrise’s general sales conditions banned by the courts, it wrote on Friday in a statement. Two of these clauses are particularly concerning.
The clause regarding price increases, which allows for a price hike in the event of a rise in the national consumer price index, is the first point of contention. If inflation were to decrease, the company is not obligated to lower its prices, the organization laments.
Moreover, early termination of contracts is not possible. Sunrise would not be the only telecommunications company acting this way.
The second problematic point lies in the inability to terminate a contract other than by phone or chat. A written termination is not valid. Many customers have reported a cumbersome termination process with Sunrise. The complaint was filed after failing to reach an agreement during the conciliation process.
“Preferred” termination method
A spokesperson for Sunrise confirmed that there is no right to early termination in the case of price adjustments. It is also true that Sunrise customers can only terminate via phone and chat.
This type of termination is favored by the majority of customers, as it is simpler, according to the spokesperson. Additionally, the chat history can be saved locally on the computer. Sunrise regularly lowers its prices and offers more services with its fixed-price offers, he further specifies.
The termination process employed by Sunrise has already been examined by a court, and no abuse has been found, the company claims. It also assumes that the price increase clause is legal.
Radio topic: Frédéric Mamaïs
Web: ats/miro