(1) Conditions and procedures for contract termination shall not act as a disincentive to changing service provider.

(2) A provider of publicly available electronic communications services, other than transmission services used for the provision of machine-to-machine services, shall not conclude a contract with a consumer that mandates a commitment period longer than 24 months. A provider who concludes a contract in contravention of this paragraph commits an offence.

(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to the duration of an instalment contract where the consumer has agreed in a separate contract to instalment payments exclusively for deployment of a physical connection, in particular to very-high-capacity networks. An instalment contract for the deployment of a physical connection shall not include terminal equipment, such as a router or modem, and shall not preclude consumers from exercising their rights under this Regulation.

(4) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall also apply to end-users that are microenterprises, small enterprises or not-for-profit organisations unless they have specifically agreed to waive those provisions. Providers shall maintain a record of such waiver in accordance with data protection law.

Prolongation of fixed term contract

(5)