How the Czech internet daily Britské listy has become a slave to T-mobile Czech Republic

29. 12. 2009

The widely read Czech-language internet daily Britské listy signed a contract with T-mobile Czech Republic in December 2007 to use a "4G" mobile modem to access the internet in the Czech Republic. The contract is valid until December 2010. It costs 1189 Czech crowns (66 US dollars) monthly. As a matter of comparison, Britské listy is using an identical mobile internet modem service in the United Kingdom, provided by the British "Three" company. The "Three" mobile internet service costs 24 US dollars monthly in the UK.

In December 2009, after two years of use, the T-mobile modem stopped working. It seems to have ceased to function due to normal wear and tear. Britské listy has asked T-mobile Czech Republic to replace the modem. T-mobile Czech Republic has replied that the modem "has been mechanically damaged". They said that T-mobile would not replace it and if Britské listy wishes to continue using the service it is paying for, it must purchase a new T-mobile modem for 5110 Czech crowns (283 US dollars).

Britské listy has demanded the cancellation of the existing T-mobile contract because its conditions, imposed by T-mobile, have, in its view, thus become unacceptable.

T-mobile has responded that it will NOT agree with the cancellation of the contract. T-mobile will continue to demand payment for the whole duration of 2010. This is, T-mobile argues, Czech law.

Czech law entitles T-mobile to demand the sum of 14 268 Czech crowns (793 US dollars) until the expiry of the contract.

If Britské listy do not pay this amount for the outstanding parts of the contract, the payment of the amount will be enforced by an executor, says T-mobile Czech Republic.

An admirable example of customer relations.

Vytisknout

Obsah vydání | Pátek 26.2. 2010