Around ten million Vodafone customers will have received a price increase for their current contracts in 2023. Consumer advocates are resisting this and are calling on those affected to join a lawsuit. FOCUS online explains how it works and how much money you’ll get if you’re successful.

The class action lawsuit against the telecommunications provider Vodafone already has tens of thousands of participants. Within a week, 40,445 consumers had entered the complaint register of the Federal Office of Justice, said the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv).

In 2023, the telecommunications provider Vodafone increased the prices for existing internet and landline contracts by five euros per month. The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) considers this to be inadmissible – and filed a class action lawsuit. From now on you can

The aim of the vzbv’s lawsuit is to ensure that Vodafone withdraws the unilateral price increases for the consumers affected by the price increases and refunds any overpaid amounts plus interest. In order to be able to assert claims, those affected must be entered in the collective action register at the Federal Office of Justice.

The advantage of the class action lawsuit: If the lawsuit is successful, Vodafone must automatically compensate the plaintiffs – without them having to go to court again. Participation in the class action lawsuit is free.

Around ten million customers are affected by the unilateral price increases. Essentially households that received an increase in the prices of their DSL, cable and internet contracts in 2023. They suddenly had to pay a good five euros more for their tariff and were simply informed about it. You did not actively agree to the increase. Since Vodafone has a large number of companies and subsidiaries that conclude such contracts, customers of Unitymedia, Kabel Deutschland, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone West GmbH and Vodafone Deutschland GmbH are affected.

It depends on when the price increase took place, how long those affected have been paying the amount and whether the contract is still running or has already expired. Those affected can calculate for themselves how much they may be entitled to. Simply do the math.

For example, if the increase is five euros per month and occurs in April 2023, you can claim back up to 60 euros (five euros x 12 months).

If you have already canceled the contract, then it depends on when you canceled and whether the price increase occurred before that.

Those affected must now look through the emails and letters they received from their provider in 2023. If the rate was automatically increased without customers actively booking new services or rates, they may join the class action lawsuit.

You can check whether you are one of them and can join the lawsuit using the vzbv lawsuit check. This is available online to those interested. The check also generates text modules that can help when registering for the lawsuit register.

Little or only minor consequences for consumers!

“It is conceivable that Vodafone will terminate a contract within the specified notice periods,” emphasizes the vzbv. However, consumer advocates do not expect this. Vodafone has no interest in “terminating contracts en masse”.

It is also possible that the court does not decide in the interests of the consumer. Such a judgment is then binding for the consumers entered in the lawsuit register. You can then no longer sue against Vodafone’s price increase in individual cases.