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Broadband firm pulled from comparison sites after ‘unfair’ selling tactics on customers exposed
Plus, we've explained who's affected
A BROADBAND firm has been pulled from major comparison sites for pushing 'unfair' selling tactics on customers, The Sun can reveal.
Onestream Limited, which offers broadband services to around 100,000 customers, has been removed from Broadband Genie, Go.Compare, MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch.
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The Sun can reveal that the firm is now being investigated by the telecoms watchdog after it sent emails to customers informing them that they had automatically been signed up to a third-party service without their consent.
Customers were told they had been enrolled in a free 30 day service for security software NordVPN - and unless they cancelled they would be charged £4.95 a month.
The email read: "As a valued Onestream customer, we are excited to let you know we have partnered with NordVPN.
"To celebrate this great news, we are pleased to announce that we are giving you a 30-day free trial of NordVPN."
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"If you wish to cancel your free trial, there are instructions at the bottom of this email."
Firms are not allowed to sign up customers to third-party services without their consent, under trading rules.
Consumer rights expert, Martyn James, said: "Automatically opting people in to agreements that will ultimately cost them money is already explicitly banned – so this free trial is an outrageous breach of the rules."
Ofcom has now launched an investigation after it was alerted to the issue by The Sun.
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CHECK YOUR SPEED: Broadband
A spokesperson for the watchdog stated: "The practice of automatically opting customers into a service without their agreement and later charging for it if they do not cancel is known as inertia selling, and consumer legislation expressly prohibits this."
Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, businesses are strictly prohibited from "demanding immediate or deferred payment for products supplied by the trader but not solicited by the consumer."
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com said: "We're grateful to The Sun for making us aware of this.
"As a result, we've removed Onestream from our broadband panel, pending an internal investigation into their practices."
BROADBAND U-TURN
Onestream told The Sun that it had contacted a "limited number" of customers about the NordVPN offer.
It added that the offer will be extended to all customers on September 1.
However, it acknowledged that the messaging in its original email was not as clear as it should be and will be changing the trial offer so that nobody will be charged unless they actively opt in.
A spokesperson for Onestream added: "Onestream is committed to compliance with all relevant consumer protection legislation and regulatory obligations.
"If any customer feels they have been unfairly charged for any aspect of Onestream’s service, we would encourage them to contact our dedicated account management team."
ONESTREAMS PRACTICES
Onestream offers some of the cheapest broadband tariffs on the market, with prices starting at just £20 a month for a superfast 24-month contract offering speeds of 74Mbps.
However, unlike some of the nation's most well-known broadband suppliers, Onestream tariffs come with extra costs that aren't fully integrated into the advertised price.
For example, if you don't have your own ADSL broadband router, you'll need to pay an extra £3.20 a month for the firm to provide you with the technology.
nestream also automatically signs all new customers up for its "Onestream Assured" service, which is free for the first two months and then £4.95 per month thereafter.
The service is meant to provide customers with priority call-outs and waive other charges, however, it isn't necessarily a necessity.
Customers are also signed up for McAfee Multi Access, an antivirus software that is free for the first month but then costs £34.95 annually thereafter.
So, if you don't act as soon as you sign up and cancel these services, a £20 monthly bill advertised online can soon turn into a £32 monthly bill.
Other practices at Onestream have previously led to the firm being fined by Ofcom.
The watchdog issued a £35,000 fine to the telecom firm in 2019 after it found that it had taken over the telephone services of more than a hundred people without their permission.
The process, known as "slamming," is a particularly aggressive form of misselling.
It involves switching customers from one company to another without their consent or knowledge.
COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR SERVICE
If you're an Onestream customer and need to file a formal complaint about your service, follow these steps to ensure your issue is addressed properly.
You'll first need to contact your provider's customer services department and explain the problem.
You can reach the customer service team at 0333 241 4449.
If this doesn't resolve the issue, you can formally complain to the company by emailing complaints@onestream.co.uk.
You'll need to inform the company about what has happened and what you want it to do to fix things.
If your formal complaint does not lead to a satisfactory resolution within eight weeks, you can request a "deadlock letter" from Onestream.
This letter lets you take your dispute to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.
ADR schemes provide an independent review of your complaint and are free to use.
In the UK, there are two ADR schemes for telecom services - the Communications Ombudsman and CISAS.
Onestream is a member of the Communications Ombudsman.
Before submitting your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.
You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the appropriate ADR.
Alternatively, you can proceed without a deadlock letter if your issue remains unresolved after eight weeks.
To file your complaint, fill out the claims form on the ADR scheme's website or send a detailed letter.
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The ADR scheme will then review the evidence provided by both you and Onestream to make a decision.
To find out more, visit www.commsombudsman.org/raise-dispute/onestream.
CUT YOUR TELECOM COSTS
SWITCHING contracts is one of the single best ways to save money on your mobile, broadband and TV bills.
But if you can't switch mid-contract without facing a penalty, you'd be best to hold off until it's up for renewal.
But don't just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you're currently paying.
Take a look at your minutes and texts, as well as your data usage, to find out which deal is best for you.
For example, if you're a heavy internet user, it's worth finding a deal that accommodates this so you don't have to spend extra on bundles or add-ons each month.
In the weeks before your contract is up, use comparison sites to familiarise yourself with what deals are available.
It's a known fact that new customers always get the best deals.
Sites like MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customise your search based on price, allowances and provider.
This should make it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider.
However, if you don't want to switch and are happy with the service you're getting under your current provider - haggle for a better deal.
You can still make significant savings by renewing your contract rather than rolling on to the tariff you're given after your deal.
If you need to speak to a company on the phone, be sure to catch them at the right time.
Make some time to negotiate with your provider in the morning.
This way, you have a better chance of being the first customer through on the phone, and the rep won't have worked tirelessly through previous calls which may have affected their stress levels.
It pays to be polite when getting through to someone on the phone, as representatives are less inclined to help rude or aggressive customers.
Knowing what other offers are on the market can help you to make a case for yourself to your provider.
If your provider won't haggle, you can always threaten to leave.
Companies don't want to lose customers and may come up with a last-minute offer to keep you.
It's also worth investigating social tariffs. These deals have been created for people who are receiving certain benefits.