Double tarif system/Vodafone

Do you have a Maltese residency permit and an ID card for Malta ?

They are allowed to discriminate on the basis of residency, but not on the grounds of citizenship

I have maltese ID and work permit.
Then regarding residency as I work here full time and pay my taxes here I don't understand what they need.

Did you show them your residency permit ?

Still didn't go to the shop to check, but i sent one week ago an email to vodafone support asking the requirements for a contract (but without getting phone) and they told me that i'd only need mi id card or passport.

On what shop did it happen?

Cheers

Hi George, I don't undrstand what you mean for residency permit. I will check. As far as know as EU citizens I don't need any residency permit.

Hi Billy, this was the same for me. As I don't need any phone, that's what they told me when I called. Problems started when I show my ID card at the shop in Paceville, as it is with "A"so  not Maltese citizen.
BTW the same happened with Melita, I called to subscribe and when I gave my ID card number they told me I can't subscribe. I then have to choose a 6 months contract with different tariffs and 3 months upfront.

All EU citizens who live in Malta need a residency permit - your work permit is also your residency permit - its a card with your photo on, larger thsn an ID card

I called Vodafone about a contract too. I was told I had to pay 3 months up front although they didn't mention a credit card.

With Go internet, a non Maltese citizen can only pay using a credit card (not debit card).

I have a maltese id card, bank account and have lived here almost a year, but if you're not maltese then they can/will discriminate.

They're not doing it for fun though, they've had so many bad experiences with people signing up, getting as much as they can (new fone etc) and then just leaving without paying that they have to do something to protect themselves. however annoying it is for us!

Yes I understand that they have to protect themselves, the point is that in the rest of EU you don't have double tariffs and/or conditions.
BTW I think that if I ask to my clients a deposit of 7 times their future turnover, the company will close tomorrow.

iamharibo wrote:

I have a maltese id card, bank account and have lived here almost a year, but if you're not maltese then they can/will discriminate.

do you have a residency permit ?

My residency permit does not have a photo on it . It is a small folded laminated card that is valid for a couple of years.

I have heard that it can take really long for the permit to be actually given out. Some applicants leave Malta again after more than a year without having received it.You do get a receipt that you applied but I don't know if that helps in the phone contract issue.

Ricky

I picked up my (EU citizens) residency permit last month, and it has my photo in it. Is actually says residency documentation not permit, as I guess I don't need permission to live here as an EU citizen

panuch wrote:

BTW I think that if I ask to my clients a deposit of 7 times their future turnover, the company will close tomorrow.

very fair point, although I don't think 3 months line rental quite equates to the same thing. It is annoying and I don't agree with it personally but it's just one of those things. Malta is a law unto itself, you just have to accept it I guess!

@ georgeingozo- My company told me that my work permit serves as a residency permit, so I just have my ID card and work permit... if there is something else I can/should apply for then I'd like more info as it may come in handy!

I believe you will be sent a residency permit eventually - it uses the photo on your id card

If I were in you, I would contact the EU customers Authority, then they'll do the investigations themselves by means of the Maltese Government and an issue will be raised. I'm italian too and as EU citizens we are eligible to the same tariffs of Maltese people, no matter what. The fact they had problems with people leaving should be faced without putting it on the customers' shoulder. Try it, it won't cost you money, but it's totally worth it. Every big change starts from people like you and me.

alert wrote:

as EU citizens we are eligible to the same tariffs of Maltese people, no matter what.

As I've already posted, thats not completely true - they can discriminate on the basis of residency, which is why I keep bringing up the residency permit/documentation

Abroad, foreigner, tourist, non local, overseas, non resident, non Maltese, residence permit, holidays, secondary residence, foreign thing, Maltese id, white, blacks, arabs, home country, work permit, designated area, AIP, deposit, references, passport...the semantics is the same. There is Malta and the others.

georgeingozo wrote:

alert wrote:

as EU citizens we are eligible to the same tariffs of Maltese people, no matter what.

As I've already posted, thats not completely true - they can discriminate on the basis of residency, which is why I keep bringing up the residency permit/documentation

U r right, they can but this faculty, i.e. the improvement of restrictions on Art. 43 and 49 TUE basis, is given to each Member State at precise conditions, which are justifications based on public order, safety, prevenction and terrorism suspect. I suggested to refer it to the authority to make them check out if the discrimination is lawful or not.

Reasons like the damages they suffered are not lawful to justify restrictions of this kind.

I'm quoting the reply I received from the staff of the Commisioner of the Malta Government who deals with this issue:

"I have reviewed the T & C s attached to this Smartphone 50 Plan (vide attachment) and there is no mention whatsoever about any extra costs for non residents. In any case, her friend should not be asked to pay the 350 Euros  in advance if this is not imposed on Maltese residents as one cannot discriminate against other EU nationals.



With regards to the credit card issue,  from a credit control point of  view, it is understandable that Vodafone  have asked her  friend to produce an account number usually  linked to  a credit card and the reason she herself was not asked to produce a credit card account  but  a debit card account was enough  is  because any local bank will not  issue a debit  card unless the customer  has some other type of credit account with the same bank (be it savings, fixed account etc). Speaking from experience even the credit limit on the debit card usually reflects the amount of income you have.



I  would  check with  the service  provider  in question whether if her  friend gives them the  bank  account  details rather than  the credit  card  no. would  be enough. If Vodafone insist on imposing the conditions listed below we will look into this issue and check things out with Vodafone.



Regards,

"

Hello Panuch - which Commissioner is that...The Comissioner for the Promotion of Equality? I think it would be useful to add to this thread contact details for the Commisioner you got that reply from so we can easily raise our own concerns about this and similar issues with them.

Thanks
Tim

Unfortunately the commissioner is confusing residency and nationality in his/her statement "if this is not imposed on Maltese residents as one cannot discriminate against other EU nationals."

what he/she means is "if this is not imposed on Maltese citizens residing in Malta as one cannot discriminate against other EU nationals who are also residing in Malta ."

Anyway,I know of non-Maltese EU citizens who live in Malta who haven't had to leave a deposit to get a Vodafone contract - they just showed their residency card and a bank statement

Hi George I will try again with other documents and I will let you know

panuch wrote:

Speaking from experience even the credit limit on the debit card usually reflects the amount of income you have.

if it has a credit limit of any size, its not a debit card

georgeingozo wrote:

panuch wrote:

Speaking from experience even the credit limit on the debit card usually reflects the amount of income you have.

if it has a credit limit of any size, its not a debit card

I disagree, the debit card differs from the credit card particularly on this matter: it has a limited availability of credit, according to the account it refers to, while the credit card allow you to go under that limit and then re-fill it up later at agreed terms.

I do have a debit card from Barclays, for ex., which works actually like this

A true debit card has no credit facility, as it immediately takes money from your bank account - AFAIK thats the only type of debit card available in Malta. You have some sort of hibrid debit card

George is right. debit and credit have the opposite meanings. with a credit card you get credit from the bank, with a debit card you can't get credit. and in the case of what you are saying "it has a limited availability of credit, according to the account it refers to" that has nothing to do with credit as if it takes money from your account - that's your money and not the banks therefore no credit is involved, as you can only use up as much as you have in that account and not more.

previous comment was offtopic but back topic again. when was getting internet connection, went to Melita and they told me to pay 300 euro deposit while with GO did not have to pay the deposit but only provide the credit card number. its annoying but can't live without internet

How luckey all of you... I am working in Malta last two years and when I approach GO, they ask me to deposit 1000.00 euro and Vodafone 350.00 euro. But Melita agree for 3 months rent in advance which is around 89.00 euro

really? oh actually i completely forgot - GO asked me to pay 3 months in advance as well which i did. I did not approach vodafone for internet as their rates do't compare. Wow 1000 euro? that's just ridiculous.

It is still incredible that s**t like this still happens in a UE Country, competition law basis are here severely harmed.

Just to update you about the story. Finally yesterday I went to a Vodafone shop with my residence permit and after 30 mins of discussions with the shop assistant and the Vodafone Head Office I got my contract.It was not easy as just to make things difficult I have been asked for contracts of utilities and /or the contract of my flat, which I didn't have with me. BTW it is done , but what an experience!