From 2010, all telecoms bills – phone, internet, digital TV – will be obliged to carry the expiration date of the contract. “This will allow consumers to end their contract without hidden cancellation costs,” Van Quickenborne explained. At present, contracts are mainly selfrenewing, with few customers keeping track of expiry dates.

The minister also said that bills are laid out in a format that is outdated and unsuitable for modern conditions. With the increasing incidence of “bundling” – the sale of multiple services in a single package – the customer often cannot tell how much they are charged for the different parts of the bundle. Companies need to change the way they present billing information to the public, he said.

The minister also called on companies to provide a secure website where customers can consult their billing details, how many calls they have made and how many hours they have been online. Telecoms companies will also have to propose to clients, at least once a year, the most advantageous tariff in force, based on the usage profile of the client. Finally, companies will be obliged to offer the option of receiving bills electronically, rather than only on paper.