The speeches of the fiber optic salesmen confuse the residents of the detached house area in Lahti. According to the Finnish Competition and Consumer Agency, the supervision of companies has been increased and new guidelines for the sector are coming.
Companies that market high-speed data transmission connections via optical fiber sometimes have a fierce competition for customers with methods, some of which confuse people.
– Some have been particularly active and have come many times either inside or behind the door.
Halme, who works as a customer manager in the media industry, does a lot of remote work at home. He has lived in his house with his family for 17 years, and he has no complaints about his internet connection.
– That’s why it feels confusing when a representative of the Global Connect company comes through the door and shows from the pages of the competitor’s DNA how the copper network will be dismantled. And how the old one no longer works and how it would be worthwhile to join the new one.
According to DNA, the interpretations of the sales pitch served to Halmee in January are incorrect.
According to Kannisto, the services in the area will remain and the aim is rather to develop them.
– It’s about an unfortunate misunderstanding, which in this situation might be used to advantage.
Global Connect commented on the incident told by Halmee via email to Yle.
– We are currently in contact with many households and we take it very seriously if we have not been able to present our case clearly and correctly. We will review this feedback with our sales team to ensure this behavior does not happen again, the response states.
The company says that it is important for it to do its work responsibly and that its sales and marketing instructions are clear.
Colorful sales situations
Fiber optic networks and high-speed internet connections for small houses in particular are now under fierce competition. Mika Halme accepts the marketing of the products, but he thinks the situation can be unfair from the customer’s point of view.
– Here people are ignorant of information technology, and the companies want the deal to be concluded quickly, Mika Halme estimates.
Halme himself investigated the validity of the sales pitches, but is concerned, for example, about the abilities of older people in a similar situation.
– I knew the seller wasn’t telling the truth, because I live alone and my husband lives abroad. I asked several times in which language she had been talking to my husband, but I didn’t get an answer.
Confused by the situation, Sajalahti does not remember the name of the company, but no contract was signed.
DNA’s Mikko Kannisto knows of cases where the customer is already a customer of the fiber network, but the seller can imply that he is not.
– The customer may have acquired a connection years ago, but may not even remember which technology was used to connect to the property.
The company says that, for example, in Lahti since the 2010s, it has built a fiber optic network in many new single-family areas.
In Finland, Elisa, Lounea, Täyskuitu and Telia’s partially owned Valokuitunen also do optical fiber trade.
According to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, in 2021 a connection implemented with fiber optic technology was available in 49 percent of households. The number has grown steadily since 2018. Availability means that the broadband connection can be put into use immediately or after a small additional construction, for example from the border of the plot.
Consumer authority alert
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Agency KKV has noticed that the fiber optic market has been hot for some time.
Based on contacts from consumers, the agency has started to monitor the fiber market and companies even more closely. The consumer ombudsman has supervised the industry for about a year.
Companies that offer optical fiber usually do not start building connections ordered by individual consumers without having enough and comprehensive customers in the residential area in question.
According to Norri, the feedback received by the agency shows confusion about the contract terms and demolition fees, which the customer has considered unreasonable.
The agency has also received some consumer feedback on the marketing of optical fibers.
– It has been difficult for the consumer to understand which of all the payments make up the final price of the commodity, says Norr.
Fiber optic internet requires a subscription, i.e. cable infrastructure, and an online internet service, i.e. broadband. KKV has ruled that contracts and marketing must clearly state if the subscription price is conditional, i.e. it requires a fixed-term broadband contract.
In some connections, there is practically only one service provider, i.e. the same company that builds the fiber optic cable connection in the area. In some contracts, it is possible to choose between several service providers.
It is worth familiarizing yourself with the agreements and investing
Special expert Joonas Norr from the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority urges people to familiarize themselves with the contract terms and project schedules. The company also has its responsibilities.
– You must clearly agree on the time when the company will make a binding construction decision at the latest. You should also agree on the final limit, i.e. when at the latest the consumer can expect the ordered subscription to be available to him.
KKV is giving more instructions to the industry this spring. The agency has discussed and negotiated with companies offering services. According to Norri, the industry has gone in a better direction, but there will be enough to monitor in the future as well.