NUMBER OF FRAUDULENT REROUTING CASES CONTINUES TO FALL
18.5.2006
In April 2006 ČESKÝ TELECOM resolved only 150 cases of fraudulent rerouting. The positive trend of the decreasing number of cases of fraudulent rerouting to lines with the 976 prefix in 2005 thus also continued during the first four months of 2006. This is clear from ČESKÝ TELECOM’s statistics for last April. While a study in January 2005 reported nearly 500 problematic cases, in November 2005 the number of such cases dropped to nearly 300. At the beginning of 2006 ČESKÝ TELECOM resolved less than 250, and in April of this year it only had to investigate 150 (see graph below).
“ Regular analysis indicates that the measures that we, together with the APVTS, took last year were proper and have made a considerable contribution to improving the entire situation,” said David Šita,Executive Director for Regulation and Interconnection
Lines with premium tariffs provide information services, contests, lotteries, or other special services. Data lines begin with the 976 prefix, voice lines with 90x. Criminals are able to abuse classic dial-up Internet connections. With the help of harmful software or scripts, they can reroute a classic modem connection to lines with premium tariffs without the customer’s knowledge. When this happens, a customer could end up paying up to 6 000 koruna per hour of use instead of 20.
In 2004, ČESKÝ TELECOM called on other operators in the Association of Public Telecommunications Network Providers (APVTS) to join the fight against fraudulent calls and rerouting connections to premium tariff lines. In 2003, the operator itself prepared a web page where all information about fraudulent rerouting and protection against it is continuously updated at web pages.
In addition to keeping Internet users as informed as possible, one of the most important steps that ČESKÝ TELECOMhas taken has been to supply them with the free additional PC Guard (PC Strážce) service. This provides clients with comprehensive protection for their computers, data and communication. You can find other ČESKÝ TELECOMproducts for protection against unmonitored telephone bill increases (e.g. InfoLimit) at the company’s website www.telecom.cz , at Telepoint sales outlets, or through a toll-free number on 800 123456.
For further information, please contact:
MARTIN ŽABKA
Press Spokesman
Tel: +420 271 463 359
Fax: +420 271 469 896
e-mail: tiskovy.odbor@ct.cz
ČESKÝ TELECOM, a. s., member of the Telefónica Group is the leading telecommunications company in the Czech Republic. Through its subsidiary company Eurotel Praha, spol. s r.o., it also has a significant presence in the Czech mobile services market. Further information about the firm and the services it offers is available at www.telecom.cz, which was rated as BestWeb 2003 in the WebTop100 survey.
Signum Temporis has consistently awarded ČESKÝ TELECOM for being one of the domestic capital market's most transparent firms in terms of providing information. Based on an open vote of specialists, members of the press and a nine-member committee, ČESKÝ TELECOM placed first in 2003, just as it did in 2001.
ČESKÝ TELECOM ranks among the most prominent firms on the Czech capital market in terms of capitalization and trading volumes. Its shares are also traded on the London Stock Exchange in the form of GDRs. ČESKÝ TELECOM's credit rating is the highest a Czech corporation can receive from top international rating agencies.
About Telefónica
Telefónica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation. Its activities are centered mainly on the fixed and mobile telephony businesses with broadband as the key tool for the development of both.
The company has a significant presence in 19 countries and a customer base that amounts more than 180 million accesses around the world. Telefónica has a strong presence in Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy.
Telefónica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4,921,130,397 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, New York, Lima, Buenos Aires and São Paulo.
