Proximus losing customers as change made easy

28 January 2005
 
BRUSSELS – Belgian mobile phone network operator Proximus is losing customers since consumers have been given the option of switching providers without changing their telephone number, it was reported Friday.
 
Since the end of 2002 Belgians registered with one of the country’s mobile phone operators have the option of switching to another provider if they feel they can get a better deal.
 
According to Belgian newspaper l’Echo, Proximus has already lost some 244,000 clients since customers have been allowed to shop around.
 
In contrast, Base — a unit of Dutch national telecommunications company Royal KPN NV – has managed to gain business.
 
It has won some 125,000 new clients, or some 6,000 more than that of Orange.
 
Interestingly, a report by consumer rights group Test-Achats released earlier this week found that Belgian consumers were being overcharged some EUR 910 million per year in mobile phone charges.
 
The group also said that customers in general tend to remain too faithful to their operator and do not shop around for better rates.
 
[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject : Belgian news