ComReg's Consumer Policy

ComReg's consumer policy seeks to promote the interests of consumers within the following 3 aims:

Maximising Consumer Welfare
The aim is to ensure choice, price and quality for consumers and is generally effected through the regulatory framework that has been put in place to facilitate the development of effective competition.

Protecting Consumers
The aim is to put in place measures to protect consumers while competition is developing and this is achieved through specific measures adopted under appropriate legislation (mainly EU Directives and national legislation).

Raising Consumer Awareness
The aim is to provide consumers with information to allow them to make informed choices in the market, thereby contributing to the development of competition. This is achieved through the publication of relevant information and ongoing communication with consumer groups and their representatives.

What are my consumer rights and interests?

As a consumer in the communications market, you have many rights. There are a range of measures introduced by ComReg which are designed to protect or empower consumers in their dealings with service providers. Specifically, ComReg has updated the consumer protection regulatory regime in areas such as transparency of information for users, operator codes of practice for complaint handling, contracts and the publication of quality of service information.

ComReg regularly issues guides for consumers to ensure that they are kept informed on specific issues of interest. For a full list of these consumer guides, please click here.

In addition to measures taken by ComReg, there are other measues which confer rights on consumers. Chief among these is the general framework of consumer and contract law. Details of your rights as a consumer are available on the National Consumer Agency's website at www.nca.ie Pop up to new window .

There are also important provisions regarding your rights under Data Protection legislation. The website of the Data Protection Commissioner Pop up to new window contains information on your rights in this regard.

What is ComReg's role in relation to the postal service?

ComReg has to ensure that An Post and all authorised service providers have transparent, simple and inexpensive procedures for dealing with users' complaints, particularly in cases involving loss, theft, damage or non-compliance with service quality standards. These procedures must enable disputes to be settled fairly and promptly with provision, where warranted, for a system of reimbursement or compensation or both.

Click here for more details about postal complaints procedures.