Beijing, March 16, 2025 – Following a Xinhua News Agency report exposing deceptive telemarketing practices within the telecommunications industry, China Broadcasting Network Corporation (CBN), the nation’s fourth-largest telecom operator, has announced a comprehensive self-inspection and vowed to address any identified issues with utmost seriousness.
Xinhua’s report, published yesterday, highlighted the persistent problem of manipulative telemarketing tactics employed by telecom operators, including deceptive upgrades and hidden charges. The report prompted swift responses from the Big Three – China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom – all of whom pledged to conduct internal investigations.
CBN’s statement, released late this evening, underscores the company’s commitment to rectifying these issues. The statement reads: We have taken Xinhua News Agency’s report on telemarketing very seriously. In accordance with the deployment requirements of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s 2025 work conference on industry conduct construction and rectification in the information and communication sector, we have launched a comprehensive self-inspection and will resolutely and seriously deal with any problems found.
The company outlined two key measures to address the concerns:
- Thorough Investigation and Rectification: CBN will conduct a penetrating investigation and rectification across all channels, establishing a problem ledger, standardizing marketing practices, shutting down non-compliant channels, and even terminating partnerships with those found in violation.
- Transparent Service System: CBN will comprehensively review existing business systems to build a transparent service system, strictly implement the user secondary confirmation function, and eliminate business blind spots. This aims to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of users and prevent practices such as induced upgrades and hidden charges that harm user interests.
This swift response from CBN, along with the commitments from the other major telecom operators, signals a potential turning point in the fight against unethical telemarketing practices in China. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s focus on industry conduct construction and rectification further reinforces the government’s commitment to protecting consumer rights.
The effectiveness of these self-inspections and the subsequent actions taken by the telecom operators will be closely watched by consumers and industry observers alike. The challenge will be to not only identify and rectify existing problems but also to implement sustainable measures to prevent future abuses and ensure a fair and transparent telecommunications market for all.
References:
- IT Home. (2025, March 16). 中国广电回应新华社有关“通信电话营销”报道：已开展全面自查，对发现的问题坚决严肃处置 [China Broadcasting Responds to Xinhua Report on Telemarketing: Comprehensive Self-Inspection Launched, Issues to be Dealt with Seriously]. Retrieved from [Insert IT Home article link here – as I don’t have access to the live web].
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