Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/376810
Events 40 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2014 The Malta Communications Au- thority (MCA) has recently pub- lished its report on the complaints received and related activities dur- ing the first six months of 2014. In total, the MCA received 155 com- plaints, an average of around 25 complaints per month. Similar to the complaints received between January and June in 2013, the most common type of com- plaints received during the same period in 2014, related to service provision, in particular the repair of intermittent and temporary faults to TV, internet and fixed telephony services. Such faults are generally the result of damages, either to the service provider's infrastructure to the residence's internal wiring or to the physical equip- ment. In such cases, the MCA monitors the actions undertaken by the service provider to ensure that faults are repaired in the shortest time possible. In those cases investi- gated by the MCA, subscribers were offered compensation or refunds as stated in their service contract, particularly in those cases where the fault was not caused by force majeure. The most common complaints of a contractual nature received by the Authority related to the termi- nation of a service/s. In some of the cases reported to the MCA, such complaints were the result of lack of information by the subscriber with regard to the procedure to be undertaken in such cases (return of equipment or advance notifica- tion) or the implications of such action (early termination fees). On the other hand, in those cases where it appeared that the procedure for termination of service/s was not ad- hered to by the service provider, the Authority intervened and took the necessary regulatory action in or- der to ensure that the service/s was/ were successfully terminated. Billing, charges and tariffs were other causes for complaints during this period. The MCA monitored these cases closely and ensured that the operator in question provided the necessary clarifications to its subscribers when billing details were unclear. In those cases where a charge was not justified, the Au- thority took the necessary steps to ensure that such a charge was waived. The MCA also received com- plaints related to alleged unfair practices adopted by service provid- ers over which the Authority has no legal powers to intervene, such as in the case of unsolicited commercial calls. The Authority referred com- plainants to the competent Authori- ties. A small number of cases received related to postal services. Most commonly, these complaints relat- ed to non-delivery of ordinary and registered mail. In such cases the MCA ensured that MaltaPost pro- vided consumers eligible for com- pensation with the corresponding refunds. In addition, these cases are also monitored closely by MaltaPost to ensure that ensuing issues are ad- dressed accordingly. The report also highlights con- sumer related activities undertaken by the MCA during the period under review. These included the partici- pation at the National Annual Trade fair, which took place between the 26 June, and the 6 July 2014, during which the MCA provided informa- tion on end-user related issues in the sectors it regulates. The MCA also launched an information cam- paign on the new roaming rates to promote awareness on the new tar- iff reductions introduced by means of the EU roaming regulations. The full report is available on the MCA website at http://www.mca. org.mt/consumer/notices-and- an- nouncements/end-user-half-yearly- report-jan-june-2014-0. During the month of September din- ers can once again participate in Mal- ta's largest annual restaurant survey, now in its 15th successful year. Out of an incredible number of 1800 plus restaurants on the is- lands, the top survey rated 150 restaurants will be included in the 2015 Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo sponsored by the MTA and HSBC. By logging on to w w w.restaurants- malta.com during September users will be able to rate all the restau- rants they have visited over the past 12 months and determine which 150 restaurants will be included in the Guide and on our website w w w. restaurantsmalta.com. Vote and send in your funny and informative comments and you could win one of these fantastic prizes: 2 nights at the Hilton, Malta, St Julians, 1 night at the InterCon- tinental Malta and a lavish hamper from Dical House, Mosta. You can rate all the restaurants you have visited in the last 12 months on Food, Service and Ambience on a scale of 1-10. Your vote on addi- tional questions in the survey will determine Restaurant Awards pre- sented at our Annual Gala Dinner in December – including best Mal- tese restaurant; best restaurant for business entertainment; best value for money restaurant; most roman- tic restaurant; most child friendly restaurant and the best restaurant restroom, as well as which have your favourite wine lists together with your additional comments. So log onto w w w.restaurants- malta.com to get voting and make your opinion count – your voice is important to us! Unscheduled Bus Service press release The Committee of the Unsched- uled Bus Service has expressed its concern at the incident reported in the local media, showing a low-floor bus being driven with a loose steer- ing wheel. The UBS regrets the incident in- volving a vehivle that is not part of the fleet belonging to any one of the its members and assure the public that is shall continure to ensure that all vehicles sub-contracted by it are roadworthy. The UBS confirms that it took im- mediate action against the owner of the vehivle and the driver con- cerned. The UBS is of the opinion that the driver should not have taken the risk of driving the bus in those circum- stances and should have stopped the vehicle at the first opportunity and called for a substitute vehicle to continue the trip. 15 years of The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants Malta's only objective Restaurant Guide on the Islands MCA publishes latest Communications Complaints Data January – June 2014 Exclusive FIAT 500 Cult now in Malta UCIM Co Ltd, importers and of- ficial representatives of FIAT in Malta welcome the new FIAT 50 0 Cult which is now on show at the FIAT showroom in Psaila Street in B'Kara. Launched earlier this year at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the 50 0 Cult introduces impor- tant new product features in terms of st yle and technological content. These include three new body colours namely Lattementa Green, Three-layer W hite and Italia Blue, three new 16" alloy wheels and a renewal of the in- teriors in fabric or leather, with specific combinations for ever y trim level. The Fiat 50 0 is the icon of Ital- ian manufacturing par excel- lence, which establishes itself throughout the world thanks to Italian st yle, continuous innova- tion, respect for the environment and premium qualit y. Suffice it to say, it's the Fiat model with the highest level of sales outside of Italy: more than 1,20 0,0 0 0 units sold from 20 07 to date, 75% of which have been registered abroad. The Fiat 50 0 Cult, which is a Euro 6 model, will certainly play its part in consolidating the global success of the Fiat model- icon. "There is a genuine '50 0 ef- fect', which has spread not only through the automotive sector, but has also become a source of inspiration in other areas: from the cinema to art and from fash- ion to design. The Fiat 50 0 has earned a place in the collective imagination as a powerful, un- mistakable symbol, not merely a means of transport but a 've- hicle' for authentic emotion and unique experiences," said Franc- esca Mamo, Managing Director of UCIM Co Ltd. "In some places, the Fiat 50 0 has become almost a 'cult' item for collectors and admirers. It's up to the Fiat brand to fuel '50 0ism' constantly with new products, ever more up-to-date and con- temporar y, and this is what FIAT is doing with this exclusive Fiat 50 0 Cult version, which assumes its rightful place in the manifes- to of '50 0ism'," added Francesca Mamo. The brand-new Fiat 50 0 Cult is the top-of-the-range 'collector's' version which encapsulates the best of 2014's new features, of- fering an exclusive level of st yle and technological content such as the car radio/CD with MP3 player, 4 speakers and 2 t weet- ers, Blue&Me hands-free system with Bluetooth technolog y, voice recognition, and digital audio file player with USB port, leath- er steering wheel with mounted controls, full leather interior, 7" TFT display with rev counter, au- tomatic climate control and 16" alloy wheels as standard and per- formance to the most demanding and scrupulous customers of the Fiat 50 0. Amongst the many interest- ing new features included on the Cult version, one finds chrome inserts, chrome side window contours and exhaust pipes, elec- tric adjustable black finish wing mirrors with matching black roof/spoiler, defrosting function and exterior temperature sensor, Fiat CODE (electronic antithef t), thermal windows with dark pri- vacy glass, height adjustable front head restraints, dual drive power steering, panoramic fixed glass roof with sunblind (Only on Hatchback version), power windows, trip computer and rear parking sensors amongst others. The 50 0 Cult is also heav- ily equipped with safet y fea- tures which include ABS + EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), BAS (Brake Assistance System – Emergency Braking), dual stage driver and passenger airbags, side bags, windows bag and knee bag, Fire Prevention System (FPS), adjustable headlamps, front seat- belts with pretensioner, load lim- iter and buckle sensor at front. The FIAT 50 0 Cult comes in a 1.2 and a TwinAir petrol engine. RESTAURANT SURVEY 2014 THE DEFINITIVE(LY) GOOD GUIDE RESTAURANT SURVEY 2014 THE DEFINITIVE(LY) GOOD GUIDE MALTA'S BEST-SELLING GUIDE FOR 15 YEARS RESTAURANT SURVEY 2014 H elp create Malta and Gozo's only objective Restaurant Guide. Your ratings and comments in this survey will determine which top rated 150 restaurants will be included in the 2015 edition of the book and on www.restaurantsmalta.com as well as which restaurants will win awards at the spectacular Defi nitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants Awards Ceremony in December 2014. Food, service and ambience are the basis on which the awards, which recognize the best of the best, are made. Additional awards include Best for Maltese Food, Business Entertainment, Value for Money, Best Wine lists, Most Romantic, Most Mentioned, Best Healthy Options, Most Children Friendly, Best Restrooms and Best Restaurant Overall. Deadline to return survey: 30 September 2014. You can also participate online at www.restaurantsmalta.com Malta's only objective restaurant guide with top 150 survey-rated restaurants PRIZES for the best survey response with the best combination of number of restaurants rated, informative and witty comments and promptness THE DEFINITIVE(LY) GOOD GUIDE MALTA'S BEST-SELLING GUIDE FOR 15 YEARS PRIZES BIG You can also participate online at THIRD PRIZE A lavish Gourmet Hamper to the value of € 200 from Dical House, Fine Foods & Wellbeing, Mosta. SECOND PRIZE One night stay for two persons in a Deluxe room at InterContinental Malta including breakfast at Waterbiscuit FIRST PRIZE Two nights stay for two persons on Bed & Breakfast basis in a Deluxe room at the Hilton Malta, St Julians Malta's only objective restaurant guide with top 150