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What Are the Legal Steps to Fight the 1N Telecom Contract Penalty in 2026?
The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) has officially filed a class-action lawsuit against 1N Telecom GmbH to help affected consumers recover unjustified contract penalties. This legal action, registered at the Higher Regional Court of Hamm, addresses widespread deceptive marketing practices targeting internet and telephone users across Germany.
Deceptive Marketing and Unjustified Penalties
1N Telecom GmbH systematically misled consumers by sending promotional letters that closely mimicked communications from Deutsche Telekom. Customers believed they were simply changing tariffs, but the documents actually initiated a complete provider switch. When these technical transfers failed or consumers blocked the number porting, 1N Telecom issued a demand for approximately €420, labeling it a compensation fee. The Düsseldorf Regional Court previously prohibited these exact advertising methods in 2023, declaring the €420 penalty invalid. Despite this prior ruling, the company continued its debt collection efforts, assigning these claims to its affiliated entity, TPI Investment GmbH.
Scope of Consumer Impact
Consumer protection centers across Germany received roughly 15,000 formal complaints regarding 1N Telecom between January 2023 and June 2025. Many targeted individuals were elderly, and some cases involved demands sent to people who merely participated in online sweepstakes rather than signing service agreements. While thousands of consumers successfully challenged the claims or ignored the invalid collection attempts, others paid the €420 to avoid further confrontation. The sheer volume of grievances prompted the vzbv to escalate the matter to a centralized legal proceeding.
Details of the 2026 Class Action
The vzbv filed the model declaratory action with the Higher Regional Court of Hamm under case number I-13 VKl 3/25. The Federal Office of Justice formally published this action in the official register on February 19, 2026. The primary objective is to legally invalidate the compensation clauses utilized by 1N Telecom and secure direct refunds for individuals who already paid the €420 penalty. Consumers can currently register for this lawsuit free of charge to assert their financial claims against the company.
Corporate Network Expansion
Recent corporate registry data indicates the management behind 1N Telecom continues to establish new telecommunications entities. In December 2025, Philipp Hoffmann Beteiligungen GmbH and Carrier 1 GmbH were entered into the commercial register in Düsseldorf. Carrier 1 GmbH explicitly lists the construction and operation of telecommunications networks as its core business purpose. Both new companies operate from the same virtual office address as 1N Telecom. Local trade supervisory authorities have not yet intervened, as officials await the outcome of pending fraud investigations handled by the Düsseldorf public prosecutor.