Colombia’s Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) has fined companies Telmex Colombia and Telmex Telecomunicaciones for failure to handle its customers' complaints, EFE reports. Each of the two companies has received a fine of COP 1.18 billion (approximately USD 612,000), the maximum allowed under laws governing Colombia's telecommunications sector.
The regulator said the companies were fined for "repeatedly and systematically violating provisions that regulate the reception, handling and resolutions of requests, complaints and claims submitted by their customers". The regulator’s investigation found that Telmex Colombia and Telmex Telecomunicaciones, which provide fixed-line phone and internet services, did not comply with their legal obligation to "systematically" handle hundreds of user complaints.
SIC believes that this kind of conduct "harms the rights of the users of their services," adding that the fine was imposed "to protect the rights of users and consumers of telecommunications services".
Telmex has the right to appeal the regulator’s decision.
