Consumer protectors: More than 11,000 complaints about 1N Telecom

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Numerous Telekom customers throughout Germany are repeatedly receiving misleading advertising letters from the provider 1N Telecom GmbH from Düsseldorf. According to the German Federation of Consumer Organizations (vzbv), there are now more than 11,000 complaints. Deutsche Telekom has already been able to obtain several injunctions against the namesake. Consumer centers are also taking legal action against the misleading customer approach and are planning a class action lawsuit.

Misleading advertising letters since the beginning of 2022

The misleading advertising letters from 1N Telecom have been circulating since the beginning of 2022, with regular warnings from various consumer advice centers and Telekom. The personally addressed letters with the current landline number give the impression of an official letter from Deutsche Telekom regarding a tariff change. Many customers only realize that they have ordered a change of provider after receiving the confirmation of termination from Deutsche Telekom. In consultations, those affected made it clear that they did not want to change their provider at all: In more than 75 percent of cases, customers do not even want to switch to 1N Telecom, according to Telekom.

According to Tagesschau, the Federal Network Agency has already stopped around 15,000 switches to 1N Telecom in 2023. According to a decision by the Cologne Administrative Court, there is "sufficient evidence" that "there were organizational deficits in the processing of revocations and challenges". Since those affected were also unable to make emergency calls due to a non-functioning telephone connection, the court also saw a risk to health. 1N Telecom has not yet commented on the allegations.

First successes against 1N Telecom

The German Federation of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) and the Consumer Association of Baden-Württemberg have sued the provider for several legal violations. Following an initial success, 1N Telecom is no longer allowed to use certain contractual clauses and no longer write that customers must transfer their existing telephone number. In addition, the company must now also provide an e-mail address for contacting customers.

Telekom has already banned an earlier, fraudulent letter concerning the 14-day revocation period. 1N Telecom only transmits porting orders to Telekom after the deadline has expired, which, according to Telekom, deprives customers of the opportunity to make use of their right to cancel within the deadline. Customers who still do not want to switch are confronted by 1N Telecom with claims for damages in the three-digit range – according to information from consumer advice centers, 1N Telecom is also using debt collection companies for this purpose.

What those affected can do

Consumer advocates and Telekom recommend that affected customers seek legal advice and, if necessary, contest the contract on the grounds of error or fraudulent misrepresentation. The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) provides a series of letters for this purpose – even one for legal guardians.

The vzbv also provides instructions on how to deal with letters from 1N Telecom. For example, nothing should be done about advertising letters, but welcome letters or claims for damages should not be ignored under any circumstances. It also states that 1N Telecom, for example, "suddenly received confirmation of an order for a 'cheap DSL16 tariff' from ZooLoo LLC after taking part in an alleged Aldi competition". Those affected also received a porting order following a competition for the Balea brand.

Consumer advice center examines class action lawsuit

The consumer advice center is also examining a class action lawsuit. Telekom announced in February 2024 that it would continue to exhaust "all legal means and avenues available to it" in the future "to stop 1N Telecom's misleading customer approach".

(mack)