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Telephone allowance, eircom and other providers

  • 20-10-2011 12:32am
    #1
    chasm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,099 ✭✭✭


    As anyone who is in receipt of the household benefits package is aware the telephone allowance was decreased in september.
    At the time of announcing the cut Joan Burton stated that the govt negotiated a deal with eircom that would give their customers a value of €26.86 on the their bill, whilst customers with other providers would only receive the value of €22.22 on their bills.

    So as a customer of different provider i receive €22.22, but someone with eircom receives the higher amount, yet ultimately our line provider is the same company, how can this be right? Any time i have had issues with my phone line i have had to go through my provider who then has to get eircom on to it!

    As far as i am aware the DoSP used to pay Eircom directly for the line rental whether the customer was with them or not, does anyone know if this is still the case?

    After reading the debate(link below) i found this part rather amusing,

    "As regards the telephone allowance, the deal negotiated with Eircom represents good value for the State and the customer. The main saving is that the Department will no longer pay a monthly rental for handsets, but customers will be able to keep their set at no charge. Indeed, a lot of households no longer use or have their original handsets so it makes no sense that the State would continue to pick up this cost."

    When i first got the phone installed i was with Eircom for a number of years, and despite them receiving money for "monthly rental of handsets" from the state i was never offered one, i bought my own, as did every other person i have spoken to who received this allowance. I recall contacting eircom at the time regarding this matter but never received a reply!

    To me this "negotiating a deal with eircom" seems to be slightly biased in eircoms favour.

    http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/07/20/00043.asp


Comments

  • #2
    Cill Dara Abu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭Cill Dara Abu


    In all fairness there is no need for anyone to have a landline these days.

    Mobile phones are alot cheaper.


  • #3
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,021 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    I know of a pensioner or two who get free phone calls or credit, thats fair enough I can accept that.

    But who else is entitled to these free calls at the expense of the taxpayer?


  • #4
    chasm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,099 ✭✭✭chasm


    Cill Dara Abu wrote: »
    In all fairness there is no need for anyone to have a landline these days.

    Mobile phones are alot cheaper.

    The allowance covers either line rental or goes towards a mobile phone bill. Some people prefer a landline.
    NIMAN wrote: »
    I know of a pensioner or two who get free phone calls or credit, thats fair enough I can accept that.

    But who else is entitled to these free calls at the expense of the taxpayer?

    I don't get free calls, other than the ones my provider gives me for the package I pay for, i don't know anyone who gets free call, unless eircom are throwing that in with the package they agreed with the Govt?


  • #5
    Darthvadar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Cill Dara Abu wrote: »
    In all fairness there is no need for anyone to have a landline these days.

    Mobile phones are alot cheaper.

    There's EVERY need for some people to have landlines... Some homes have no mobile signal inside at all... So not only do these people have to go outside to make calls, but can't receive incoming mobile calls either... For those who are elderly, ill or disabled, and need help in an emergency, they can't get in touch with the 'outside world' in these situations...

    Ditto for those of us who use Emergency Response Pendant Alarms to summon help in an emergency... These only work with a landline...

    I agree that mobiles are probably cheaper, but they're not a good solution for everyone...

    Darth...


  • #6
    Voodoo_rasher
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭Voodoo_rasher


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I know of a pensioner or two who get free phone calls or credit, thats fair enough I can accept that.

    But who else is entitled to these free calls at the expense of the taxpayer?

    and you will notice that the Social Welfare allowance is Not Deducted, as in

    taken into account in the overall bill like it should be.

    Instead it is apparently added onto the bill (Page 1) . In effect he or she is being

    charged EXTRA.. Eircom are helping themselves to the Allowance!


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  • #7
    mp22
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 6,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭mp22


    Closed (old thread)


This discussion has been closed.
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