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Vodafone controversies

Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.

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  1. 2021

    Vodafone fined over phone-number transfers and handset unlocking delays

    Fine or penalty

    Vodafone was fined €13,000 after pleading guilty at Dublin District Court to 12 sample counts concerning delays in transferring landline numbers and providing mobile-phone unlocking codes. It also agreed to pay €20,000 towards ComReg's costs.

    Source excerpt

    • Vodafone has been fined €13,000 for delays in transferring landline numbers and unlocking mobile phones for customers.
    • Vodafone pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court today to 12 sample counts in two prosecutions brought by the telecom regulator.
    • The sample charges were a subset taken from a significant number of complaints by frustrated customers.
    Source

  2. 2020

    Italian authority orders fine against Vodafone over telemarketing practices

    Fine or penalty

    Italy's Data Protection Authority ordered a fine of more than €12.25 million against Vodafone's Italian arm over aggressive telemarketing practices and alleged violations of the GDPR. The order concerned telemarketing conduct and alleged non-compliance with the EU data protection regulation. The authority issued the penalty against the Italian subsidiary of Vodafone.

    Company response

    • Clarification — Vodafone

      In response, Vodafone justified the unwanted communication on "human error."

    Source excerpt

    • The Italian arm of multinational telecommunications company Vodafone is facing a fine of more than €12.25 million (U.S. $14.5 million) under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for aggressive telemarketing practices.
    • The fine, ordered Nov. 12, is the third-largest handed down by the Italian Data Protection Authority (“Garante”) this year and addresses multiple alleged violations of the EU’s landmark privacy legislation.
    • Garante's investigation was prompted by hundreds of complaints of unwanted telephone calls by Vodafone promoting its services. The investigation unveiled an information storage system that had up to 4.5 million contact lists purchased from external providers without user consent.
    Source

  3. 2020

    Arbitration tribunal rules in Vodafone's retrospective tax dispute

    Ruling

    The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in Vodafone's dispute with Indian tax authorities that the Income Tax Department's conduct breached fair and equitable treatment and violated India's bilateral investment treaty with the Netherlands.

    Source excerpt

    • The Hague court ruled that the conduct of the Income Tax Department is in breach of 'fair and equitable' treatment and is in violation of India’s bilateral investment treaty with the Netherlands.
    • British telecom major Vodafone Group Plc has secured an arbitration award from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in its dispute with Indian tax authorities against the retrospective tax demand of Rs20,000 crore.
    Source