MCI's Response to PQ on Including Disputes Involving Billing on Behalf Services in IMDA's Scheme

07 NOV 2023

Parliament Sitting on 7 November 2023

QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

28. Ms See Jinli Jean: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what are the considerations for excluding disputes involving billing-on-behalf-services in IMDA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Scheme; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider including disputes on such services, especially those involving App store purchases, in the Scheme.

Answer:

  1. The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Scheme covers disputes over billing and unsolicited charges for telecommunications and media services which are licensed by IMDA. These include mobile, fibre broadband and pay TV services. Services that are not licensed by IMDA, such as billing-on-behalf services, are excluded from the scheme as these are outside IMDA’s regulatory mandate and authority.

  2. For disputes concerning services which are not licensed by IMDA, consumers continue to have access to a range of dispute resolution options, such as the Consumers Association of Singapore and the Small Claims Tribunal.