Consumers find it easier to cancel telecom contracts after regulator action

Consumers now find it easier to cancel their telecom contracts. The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) says telecom companies have reduced cancellation hurdles after an inquiry by the watchdog.

The investigation by the ACM began in April last year after several consumer complaints. Under the law, subscriptions must be just as easy to cancel as they are to take out. However, in nine out of ten telecom providers reviewed, the ACM found obstacles to cancellation. Customers frequently had to cancel by phone despite signing up online, while clear information about online cancellation was often hard to find, or missing entirely.

The ACM says telecom companies have now ended these practices following its investigation. All ten providers studied now allow online cancellations, make cancellation information easier to access, and no longer contact customers after they terminate their contracts.

The ACM has not made public which telecom providers were included in the investigation, nor which companies have changed their cancellation practices.

Price remains the main driver for consumers switching providers, at 57 percent, according to the 2025 Telecom Monitor from the ACM. Other key reasons include a better offer elsewhere (31 percent) and dissatisfaction with the current provider (27 percent). Most consumers (47 percent) take out their new subscription online via a website or app, while 32 percent arrange the switch through customer service.