Syma Mobile fined 1.1 million euros for telemarketing violations

Syma Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) owned by Altice, has been fined over 1.1 million euros for violations regarding telemarketing regulations. The sanction was issued by the French Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) following an investigation.

The investigation identified three specific breaches of the Consumer Code: the failure to perform monthly checks with Bloctel (the national do-not-call registry) to ensure commercial prospecting files were compliant; contacting consumers who were registered on the Bloctel list; and contacting consumers more than four times within a 30-day period.

The DGCCRF noted that these violations occurred under the regulatory framework in place prior to August 11, 2024, when new laws regarding non-consensual telemarketing took effect and the Bloctel system was deactivated in favor of a requirement for explicit consumer consent.