Both the voice communication service and the fixed-site internet access service are sub-services of the so-called universal service regulated in Part 6 of the Electronic Communications Law. Universal service is a set of services under § 38 the Electronic Communications Law that are available in a specified quality to all consumers at an affordable price.
The State is obliged to ensure the availability of universal service. Given that, according to the conclusions of the review, there is a wide range of commercially provided services at affordable prices and therefore no grounds for an obligation to provide these services, the Czech Telecommunications Office did not impose an obligation on any undertaking to provide connections to the services in question under the so-called universal service. The requirement to establish a connection, or access to the network, must be reasonable; there is no unconditional right to it.
In order to obtain a connection to the service, you need to contact a business that provides connections in the area and comply with the agreement with them.
The cost of connection to electronic communications services is set by each business individually in accordance with their terms and conditions. The agreed price must be paid in order to obtain a connection to the service. You can compare prices from individual businesses at https://srovnavac.ctu.cz/.
If you are moving into a house where there is already an existing connection to an electronic communications service and you are interested in the service from this provider, you must contact the provider and arrange for them to provide the service.
If you are moving into a house where there is no electronic communications service connection yet, you must contact one of the electronic communications service providers in the area and sign a contract with them.
If you wish to change your voice communication service provider while keeping your phone number, contact your selected new provider to agree on terms that suit you. You can ask the new provider (called the acquiring service provider) to arrange number porting. In your written request, please provide your identification data, the identification data of the business still providing the electronic communications service (the so-called exiting service provider), the number you are requesting to be ported, the subscriber verification code for number porting issued by the exiting service provider and the date on which the number is to be ported. The verification code can be found in your contract with your current service provider.
If you want to change your internet access provider, contact your selected provider to see if it is able to provide the service you need at your address. You can then ask the receiving ISP to arrange the change. In the written request, please provide your identification details, the identification details of the exiting internet access service provider, the identification of the services to be subject to the change of internet access service provider, the date on which the change of internet access service provider is to take place and the verification code for the change of internet access service provider issued by the exiting internet access service provider.
As with number portability, the verification code can be found in your contract with your existing service provider.
If you are a disabled person (according to § 43(4) of the Electronic Communications Law) or receive a living allowance, you are entitled to a price reduction of CZK 200 per month in relation to your voice communication service and/or internet access service. The price advantage can be obtained at the company of your choice from one of the following companies: O2 Czech Republic a.s., T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s., Vodafone Czech Republic a.s. and PODA a.s.
When you apply for a price reduction, you must provide evidence that you are an eligible person and indicate what service you want to use. Disabled persons should submit to the provider the relevant documents (ZTP, ZTP/P card), or a care allowance certificate, or a decision of a relevant authority to place a child in care replacing the parents' care. Persons on low incomes should provide the service provider with a certificate stating that they are receiving a subsistence allowance, or are a jointly assessed person.
In case of disagreement with bills for electronic communications services or defective electronic communications services, you have the right to file a complaint with the provider. The complaint must be made within two (2) months of the date of delivery of the bill or the date of the defective service, otherwise the right will expire.
Filing a complaint does not have a suspensive effect on the obligation to pay the bill. As part of the complaint, you can ask the Czech Telecommunications Office to issue a decision to postpone the due date of your bill until your complaint is resolved. The Czech Telecommunications Office will only grant your request in justified cases (e.g. unusually high bills), and not in cases of simple disagreement with the bill.
If the complaint is not satisfied or resolved within the statutory time limit, subscribers have the right to apply to the Czech Telecommunications Office within the statutory time limit with a proposal to initiate administrative proceedings in the matter of the handling of the complaint. The application for initiation of proceedings must be filed within the statutory deadline of one (1) month from the delivery of the complaint, or the expiry of the deadline for the complaint, otherwise the right will expire. Submissions must be sent to the Czech Telecommunications Office's data box (a9qaats), or by email with a recognised electronic signature to podatelna@ctu.cz. For electronic submissions, it is also possible to use the form published on the website of the Czech Telecommunications Office. Proposals should be sent to the address of one of the regional departments of the Czech Telecommunications Office (according to the permanent residence or place of business of the subscriber for electronic communications services). The addresses of the regional departments are published on the CTU website. Proposals can also be submitted in person at the regional offices.
Users of electronic communications services may contact the Czech Telecommunications Office with a complaint or query about their operator's practices or a complaint about a violation of the Electronic Communications Law or the Consumer Protection Law.