Members of the Russian State Duma from the “New People” faction have put forward a significant proposal to ensure fairness for internet users during service interruptions, advocating for an automated system of bill adjustments.
Deputies Alexander Demin, Anton Tkachev, Sardana Avksentyeva, and Sangadzhi Tarbaev, representing the “New People” faction in the State Duma, have formally appealed to Maksut Shadaev, the Head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. Their initiative calls for the establishment of an automatic system that recalculates internet service charges for subscribers who experience widespread network outages from their service providers.
The appeal, submitted to the Ministry of Digital Development, highlights a crucial deficiency in the current framework. Under present regulations, to obtain any adjustment for service disruptions, internet users are required to independently document the outage and then submit a formal application to their internet provider. This procedure, originally conceived for addressing isolated technical glitches, proves both inefficient and unfair when a substantial number of subscribers are impacted by widespread service failures. The consequence is that consumers are compelled to pay the full cost for services that were either inadequately delivered or completely inaccessible.
The proponents of this new measure are convinced that introducing an automatic recalculation mechanism for internet fees would significantly restore equilibrium and fairness in the relationship between citizens and telecommunication operators. They assert that this change would firmly establish the principle of paying solely for services that have been genuinely rendered, thereby fostering greater public confidence in digital services across the nation.
The Duma deputies have earnestly urged Minister Shadaev to give their proposal careful consideration. They further requested that, if the initiative receives support, the relevant departments within the ministry be instructed to develop the necessary amendments to the “Rules for the Provision of Telematic Communication Services and Data Transmission Services.” This action would officially formalize the proposed procedure and establish a robust legal foundation for automated compensation during significant interruptions to internet service.
