Vodafone

Vodafone is continuing to lose customers in Germany and has had McKinsey review since March where savings can be made on material, operating and personnel costs. Decisions are still pending; the entry of investor Xavier Niel has increased the pressure to cut costs. Areas under review include sales, the retail network, commissions and the vehicle fleet, as well as organizational streamlining and the use of AI. The savings are intended to free up funds for fiber, cloud and security investments. » More on wiwo.de

The European Court of Justice found that telecommunications providers may not unilaterally change ongoing contracts under the 2018 EU code and that corresponding clauses in standard terms and conditions are invalid. The ruling strengthens the class action against Vodafone over a 2023 price increase, which was joined by more than 116,000 people and affected around ten million customers. German courts must now take the ECJ ruling into account in the ongoing proceedings; Vodafone said it will review the decision and analyze its implications. » More on golem.de

The ECJ ruled that an EU telecommunications regulation protects customers from disadvantageous contract changes and does not give providers the right to unilaterally adjust terms. The judgment boosts consumer groups in lawsuits against Vodafone over unilateral price hikes for landline and cable connections, which were often increased by around five euros per month. Whether the specific terms-and-conditions clause was unlawful is currently being decided by two German courts; more than 116,000 customers have joined a class action. Vodafone says it will review the decision and its consequences. » More on faz.net