Rômulo Gouveia: several operators offer products and services only to customers with high incomes.

The Committee on Science and Technology, Communications and Computer Sciences passed, on Wednesday (25), the Bill Nº 5516/09, by Deputy Talmir (PV-SP), which requires the providers of broadband service to issue written justification to the client, within one week, when they do not meet the request for the service installation at a particular address.

The rapporteur, Deputy Romulo Gouveia (PSDB-PB), recommended approval of the bill. He noted that several telecom operators, not only in Brazil but in many other countries, use the strategy known as “cream skimming”, a practice that focuses on providing products and services only to customers with high incomes and in areas of high possibility of generating profits.

By requiring the provider of the broadband service to justifiy itself, by writing the reason why they didn´t install the service in the requested address, “ the consumers will gain an extra element if, in the future, they want to denounce any kind of discriminatory treatment”, said the deputy.

Procedure
The bill has conclusive character and it is still going to be analyzed by the Committee on Consumer Protection and the Committee on the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship.

Report - Oscar Telles
Edition - Newton Araújo
Translation - Danielle Currlin