Overview

• The Bundesgerichtshof’s July 10 decision (III ZR 61/24) confirms that any early extension counts toward the initial 24-month term under the Telecommunications Act.
• It overturned Primacall’s €20 incentive for premature 24-month renewals and rejected the company’s appeal, making the lower court verdict final.
• Customers bound by unlawful Primacall extensions can terminate their contracts by notifying the provider by the 15th of any month for an end-of-month exit.
• The judgment strengthens consumer protection by enforcing the statutory cap on contract lengths and preventing hidden long-term commitments and extra costs.
• Telecom operators must now revise all early extension offers to ensure total contract durations never exceed two years.