The ministry for consumer protection has asked the Competition Office to investigate a tariff increase announced by the three mobile phone operators for clients who do not pay by direct debit.

In a statement, the ministry said minister Julia Farrugia Portelli had asked for an investigation into whether this raise broke competition law.

The tariff increase is of €1 per month applicable from July 1.

The companies have said that the change was necessitated by the EU’s second Payment Services Directive implemented by the Central Bank of Malta regarding the way customers are billed.

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