As a personal / residential user, what should I do to ensure I am protected?

To enjoy the enhanced protection, before signing up for a new telecommunications service contract or renewing an existing contract, you are advised to –

  1. read through and understand the content of the service contracts, drawing reference from the Industry Code where necessary, and seek clarification from service providers on any of the contract terms if in doubt; and
  2. confirm with the service providers that their service contracts comply with the Industry Code on such issues of your concern, such as -
    1. arrangements for contract renewal/termination;
    2. unilateral variation of contract terms and conditions by service providers; and
    3. arrangements for customer moving location.

How am I protected under the Industry Code?

The Industry Code better protects you in the following aspects -

  1. Enhanced Clarity in Contracts;
  2. Provision of Written Confirmation for Contracts Concluded over the Phone;
  3. Opt-out Option for Free-Trial Service;
  4. Cooling-off Period for Contracts that are Entered into during Unsolicited Visits to Consumers' Homes;
  5. Enhanced Procedures for Service Contract Renewal and Termination;
  6. Better Protection of Customers in case the Service Providers Vary the Contract Terms and Conditions Unilaterally;
  7. Fairer Arrangement for Customers' Service Relocation Requests.

Remark

Consumers should note that the Industry Code only applies to (a) new telecommunications service contracts provided by the participating service providers starting from July 2011; and (b) personal or residential users. Moreover, some of the protections offered by the Industry Code do not apply under certain conditions. Consumers should seek clarifications from service providers when in doubt, or where necessary, refer to the relevant parts of the Industry Code.

The Industry Code

The Industry Code is issued by the Communications Association of Hong Kong (CAHK). The Industry Code was revised in October 2014 in order to further protect the interests of consumers. The participating service providers have implemented the revised Industry Code since 1 May 2015. Please visit the following website of CAHK for the full text of the Industry Code and the list of telecommunications service providers who have adopted it:
http://www.cahk.hk/cop/en_contracts

The CAHK is a trade association for Hong Kong's communications industries. For details, please refer to its official website at http://www.cahk.hk.