Frequently Asked Questions

The extent of the action the MCA can take in relation to your complaint, depends on the particular nature of your complaint and the MCA's relevant legal powers. If the complaint involves issues that are regulated under a law the MCA has the power to enforce, then the MCA can intervene. In instances where the MCA cannot intervene directly, the MCA will suggest alternative courses of action by referring you to the appropriate forum.

• Where possible, lodge a complaint in writing, explaining your problem clearly and specifying how you expect the service provider to resolve your complaint.
• State your name and relevant contact details.
• Support your case with copies of any relevant documentation. Remember you should always retain the original copies of any correspondence or official documentation such as contracts and bills.
• Identify the service provider’s representative/s you are dealing with, including date and time of your interactions.
• Always keep a copy of any written communications you have exchanged with the service provider.
• Ask for action within a specific and reasonable period.

• A copy of your service contract;
• Copies of any correspondence with your service provider that relate to your complaint;
• Copies of bills, if and when applicable;
• Any other relevant documentation, such as: service termination form; direct debit application form; number portability form.

• Acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days;
• Check that you have provided all the relevant details; 
• Endeavour to give you a full reply within 20 working days;
• Ensure that you have already approached your service provider to resolve the matter;
• Investigate the complaint, which may involve further communication with you and/or the service provider;
• Make any information relating to your case accessible to all parties involved, unless there is a specific and valid request by either you or the service provider.

Before travelling abroad it is very important that you contact your mobile operator and check the following points:

• Whether your subscription allows international roaming in the destination country; 
• How much you will be charged when using your phone in the destination country, including voice calls, SMS, MMS, access the Internet and use of voicemail;
• Which foreign operator network best fits your needs and offers the cheapest roaming rates, if applicable;
• How to choose manually your preferred foreign operator network whilst abroad, if possible; and 
• How to activate and make use of other important services (voicemail, call diverts, network selection) while roaming and the charges involved.

Moreover, we suggest you take note of:

• Your mobile handset serial number (IMEI number) generally located underneath the battery of your mobile phone, it can also be retrieved by pressing *#06# on your handset; and
• Your mobile operator customer care number.

The above are needed, in case your phone is lost or stolen while you are travelling.

The charges that apply to roaming calls are different from those that apply when making calls while in Malta, because the foreign operator charges your mobile operator for using its network while you are abroad, and your operator consequently charges you this additional cost.

You will be charged for:

• Making and Receiving voice calls to and from Malta, and to and from someone in the destination country or any other country;
• Sending an SMS to Malta, someone in the destination country or any other country;
• Using Data services, for example, downloading emails, photos, music or movies, browsing the Internet and sending and receiving MMS;
• Listening to your voicemail messages: you will be charged at the same rate as when you make a call to Malta from abroad.  To avoid this cost, you could choose to hear the messages only when in Malta;
• To divert/forward your calls and voicemail messages to another mobile or voicemail inbox which is not in a roaming package.

You will NOT be charged for:

• Receiving an SMS; and
• Receiving voicemail messages: you will not be charged when someone leaves you a voicemail message in your inbox whilst you are roaming in one of the 28 EU Member States. 

Note: When travelling in non-EU countries this rule does not apply.  Therefore, we suggest you check with your mobile operator how much you will be charged when someone leaves you a voicemail message in your inbox when you are in a non-EU country, and how you can avoid such charges, for example, by disabling the voice mail before travelling. 

Also note that the charges you incur while using your mobile phone abroad may vary, depending on:

• Whether you are a pre-paid or a post-paid subscriber;
• The tariff plan you are on;
• The time of day you make calls; and 
• The foreign operator network on which you are roaming.

In June 2007, the European Union (EU) adopted a Regulation that places a limit on the cost of making and receiving calls on mobile phones while travelling within the 28 EU Member States, called the ‘Euro-tariff’, so as to ensure that you do not pay excessive prices for roaming services when making and receiving calls when abroad. In the amended 2009 Regulation, additional rules were introduced which favoured customers, such as, further lowering the prices of calls made and received, introducing price limits on the costs of sending SMSs while roaming, called the ‘Euro-SMS tariff’ (see also question 6), as well as introducing a ‘cut-off’ mechanism on data services (see also question 10). Several transparency measures were also introduced to ensure that you are adequately informed of the roaming charges which apply for calls, SMSs and use of data services, and regularly updated with any change to these charges. 

The July 2012 Roaming Regulation continues to develop rules which were introduced in the previous two regulations, and seek to protect roaming customers:

• Further lower the prices of calls made and received;
• Further lower the prices of sending an SMS while roaming;
• Introduce a limit on data roaming services, called the ‘Euro-Data tariff’ (see also questions 7 and 8); and
• The transparency measures introduced in 2009, to ensure that you are adequately informed of the roaming charges which apply for calls, SMSs and use of data services have now been extended to when you are roaming outside the EU.

The Roaming Regulation requires that all mobile phone operators offer you a special voice tariff called the ‘Euro-tariff’ (see Table 1) for both pre-paid and post-paid customers:

• You will automatically benefit from this tariff, unless you choose a different roaming package with different tariffs for calls made from abroad;
• Your mobile operator may offer other roaming packages, in addition to the ‘Euro-tariff’. The charges on such packages may exceed the maximum ‘Euro-tariff’ charges, but on the other hand, the package may be more beneficial to your specific requirements;
• You may switch to or from the ‘Euro-tariff’ to another package at any time free of charge; and
• Your operator must bill you for ‘Euro-tariff’ calls on a per second basis for all voice calls made or received, that is, on the amount of time that you have actually used to the second.

Notwithstanding, you may be charged a flat rate for a period not exceeding the first 30 seconds of each call you make, that is, you will be charged up to half the minute rate (approximately €0.11,55c, that is, half of €0.23,09c, in case of the Euro-tariff). Per second billing has to be applied thereafter. 

Note: This flat rate does not apply for calls received. One should note that before the Regulation came into force, many mobile operators used to charge you on a per minute basis. 

The following table shows the maximum charge per minute that your mobile phone operator can charge you for calls made and received while roaming in one of the 28 EU Member States.

Table 1

table1.png

The Roaming Regulation requires that all mobile phone operators offer you a standard ‘Euro-SMS’ tariff (see Table 2) for both pre-paid and post-paid customers:

• As from 1^st July 2014, you will be charged a maximum of €0.07,29c including VAT and duty tax to send an SMS while you are abroad, in line with the €0.06c (excluding VAT and duty tax) cap outlined in the Regulation;
• You will not be charged for receiving an SMS;
• You will automatically benefit from this tariff, unless you choose a different roaming package with different tariffs (higher or lower) for SMSs; and
• Your mobile operator may offer you other tariffs for SMS in roaming, in addition to this ‘Euro-SMS’ tariff.

You may switch to or from the ‘Euro-SMS’ tariff to another roaming package you like at any time free of charge.

Table 2

table1.png

Whenever you download emails, photos, music or movies, browse the internet and send and receive MMS messages on your mobile phone or other mobile device for example, internet key/stick, whilst you are abroad, you are making use of data roaming services. 

Besides setting a maximum limit charge for roaming data charges, the Regulation also helps you control how much you spend on data services when travelling and ensure that you do not accidentally run up huge bills when you connect to the Internet using your mobile phone or other mobile devise when abroad in the EU.  A ‘cut-off’ mechanism has been introduced:

• As from 1st July 2010 your data-roaming limit was automatically set at a level which is close to, but not exceed, €50 (excluding VAT) per month whilst travelling in the EU, that is, not exceeding €60.77 (including VAT and duty tax) per month, unless you haven’t opted in to another financial limit prior to this date;
• Should you not wish to benefit from this automatic cut-off, you can opt-out at any time free of charge by contacting your mobile operator;
• Mobile operators may offer you other data-roaming limits with different (higher or lower) maximum monthly financial or equivalent volume limits; and    
• As from 1st November 2010, a request from your part to remove the default cut-off limit or opt for another limit shall be carried out within one working day from receipt of your request, free of charge and without any other conditions or restrictions. 

As stated in the previous questions, mobile operators are able to provide alternative roaming packages for those travelling in the EU. For more information on this and other important details, please click on the appropriate links below:

• The first digits of a number will help you identify a premium number. Please refer to the reply to the previous question for information on the range of premium numbers in Malta;
• Look out for the applicable tariff charge as this information is made public when the particular service is advertised or referred to; and
• Contact your service provider for information on specific premium numbers.

• If you are tied for a minimum contractual period, early termination fees may apply if you switch to another service provider;
• If you are a pre-paid subscriber, check whether you will lose your credit balance when porting;
• Check whether any minimum threshold limit applies to your service. If this threshold limit applies, you may wish to check with your service provider whether you have reached this minimum threshold or not;
• If your Carelink service is linked to your telephone number you will be required to terminate your Carelink service before porting; and
• You must not terminate the fixed/mobile telephony service before you port. This has to be done by your new service provider as part of the porting process.

• Visit an outlet of the fixed/mobile telephony service provider you would like to subscribe to and take with you:
  • your ID card or passport;
  • SIM card (if you are porting your mobile number); and
  • a copy of a recent bill or statement (in case of post-paid).
  • At the outlet, fill in a porting form. The service provider will carry out the process to transfer your existing number on your behalf. It is important that the person signing the porting form is the subscriber, or his/her legally authorised representative.
  • Ensure you settle all outstanding bills with your service provider in case you are a post-paid subscriber.

• Porting should normally take no longer than three(3) working days in case of fixed telephony and one (1) working day in case of mobile telephony. Nevertheless, exceptions may apply in certain cases; and
• When you port your number, you are tied to the new service provider for a minimum period of two months from when your number was effectively ported.

• Follow the disconnection procedure as specified in your contract for service. If you are not in possession of your contract, you can contact your service provider to enquire about the disconnection procedure. Certain service providers may require a notification in writing and a copy of your ID card;
• Ensure that any outstanding bills are settled;
• Ensure that any CPE is handed back to the service provider upon termination; and
• Be aware that if you are subscribed to a pre-paid account with your existing service provider you may lose any unused credit.

1. Unplug the TV plug from the wall power socket.
2. Remove the aerial cable from the back of the TV set and connect it to the socket marked ‘ANT IN’ on the digital decoder.
3. Connect one end of the video lead to the socket marked ‘TV’ on the decoder and the other end to the TV.
4. Plug the power leads on your decoder and TV into a wall power socket.
5. Switch on the decoder and the TV. Your TV will usually be able to detect the new digital decoder automatically, but if this does not happen simply select station ‘AV1’ on your TV remote control.