The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, known as UOKiK, said Monday it is examining whether HBO Europe violated collective consumer interests after users reported losing access to the service on televisions that had previously worked.
UOKiK described cases in which subscribers could watch a series one day but were unable to launch the platform the next because their TV was no longer supported. The regulator said many users found themselves in that situation.
“In the view of the president of UOKiK, such situations may have resulted from unfair market practices,” the office said in a statement. The allegations include restricting the platform’s operation on users’ existing devices, failing to clearly inform customers which devices were compatible at the time contracts were signed, vague technical requirements, and no guarantee that compatibility would be maintained throughout a subscription.
UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny said unilateral changes to compatible devices can force consumers to buy new equipment. “Devices such as televisions are bought with the expectation they will be used for years,” he said. Without clear rules, consumers cannot assess the risk of losing access when signing up.
The watchdog is also reviewing HBO Europe’s terms, which state the company does not guarantee continued compatibility with devices that were supported when a subscription began. It is examining how technical requirements were communicated, noting that for much of the period information was provided only in regulations or on websites, not on a durable medium such as an email confirmation.
UOKiK added that general or imprecise information about requirements could hinder informed purchasing decisions and shift the burden of assessing compatibility onto consumers.
If violations are confirmed, HBO Europe could face fines of up to 10% of turnover for each infringement and be required to remedy the effects, including refunds of improperly collected fees, UOKiK said.
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Source: PAP