TELECOMS GROUP UPC has agreed to pay a “substantial contribution” to Irish charities after it came to a settlement in investigations into claims that it made unsolicited marketing telephone calls.
The company and the Data Protection Commissioner confirmed yesterday they had reached agreement to conclude three outstanding investigations.
The cases related to phone calls made by UPC contrary to 2003 privacy in electronic communications regulations. Yesterday, the commissioner confirmed UPC had “fully co-operated” with investigations and that his office was prepared to close the cases.
UPC said that, recognising its “procedural failures in these instances”, it had agreed to make “a substantial contribution to a number of Irish-registered charities. UPC is also making gestures to each complainant directly. In order to ensure these errors do not reoccur, UPC has put in place additional controls internally and with third-party sales agents to ensure that customer preferences are accurately recorded.”
The commissioner’s office confirmed it was satisfied the firm had put in place improved procedures to meet data protection obligations. UPC has previously been prosecuted in the District Court for such offences.
Last March, it was fined €7,100 for 18 separate breaches relating to four complaints. In one case, the court heard how it attempted to call a customer 225 times over a 20-day period between May and June of 2009. 02, Vodafone and Eircom have also been prosecuted for similar “spamming” offences.