Political Party statements on Eircoms mass disconnection of 40-45K users

[Foxwood]

It looks like Fine Gael and Labour both found time in their busy schedules to issue statements on eircoms behaviour, despite the distractions going on today.

Nothing from the Greens, the PDs or Fianna Fáil (quelle surprise!)

Durkan rightly focuses on eircoms actions, and the failures of Comreg. Broughan places most of the blame on Smart.

Originally Posted by Bernard Durkan

Disconnection of customers without warning should never be allowed to happen again - Durkan

• Eircom disconnection highlights Govt’s failure to increase competitiveness in telecoms market
• ComReg must issue warning of possible disconnection to public in future

The plight of approximately 45,000 landline Smart Telecom customers is a disgrace in 21st century Ireland and should never be allowed to happen again according to Fine Gael Spokesperson on Communications and Natural Resources, Bernard Durkan TD.

“Regardless of the nature of the dispute between Eircom and Smart Telecom, it is simply outrageous that tens of thousands of innocent customers have been disconnected.

“It makes a hollow mockery of the Government’s claims that we have a competitive telecoms market or a dynamic ICT infrastructure when such anti-consumer activity occurs.

“For the first time since he took over his Department, I implore the Minister to act decisively and swiftly.

“He must immediately set up a mechanism where Eircom is required to inform ComReg that it is poised to disconnect an operator’s customers at least one month before taking that final step.

“ComReg would then be required to issue a public warning that the operator’s customers are likely to suffer loss of service, thus allowing them time to make alternative arrangements with another operator.

“In the long term, it is vital that steps are taken to wrestle the network away from Eircom so that real competition can thrive and situations like the one we witnessed last night never happen again.”

Originally Posted by Tommy Broughan

Overnight collapse of Smart exposes chaos of Irish telecoms industry
Issued : Tuesday 3 October, 2006

Statement by Tommy Broughan TD
Spokesperson on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources

Labour Party Spokesperson on Communications, Tommy Broughan TD, has said that the overnight withdrawal of fixed line telephone and broadband services to 40,000 Smart Telecom subscribers highlights the chaos of the Irish Telecoms industry that has left customers high and dry.

Deputy Broughan said this situation further highlights the complete market, Government and regulatory failure of the Irish telecoms sector.

“In a modern, developed, high-tech economy such as our own, it is unbelievable that Smart Telecom business and domestic customers are woke-up this morning to find their phone and internet services suspended. Smart customers have been treated appallingly by the company and by Eircom, and serious questions have to be answered by both the Communications Regulator and, ultimately, Minister Noel Dempsey.

“In the short term, why were customers not given any advance warning from Smart Telecom of the withdrawal of the service? Why were Eircom allowed, at the flick of a switch, to withdraw phone and internet services to 40,000 Smart Telecom subscribers? What type of market facilitates such atrocious levels of consumer protection that facilitates such behaviour?

“In the longer term the Regulator must outline what guarantees it was given by Smart telecom to allow it to peddle its broadband and telephone services to the Irish public that ultimately it could not deliver?

“While the demise of Smart Telecom has been sudden – and it does appear as if its decline is terminal – the writing has been on the wall for the company since ComReg suspended its 3G licence earlier this year. But why was it allowed to continue to trade, and why did the Regulator not intervene on behalf of Smart customers?

“While clearly major problems remain for operators in terms of accessing the local loop, Smart Telecom should not have been allowed deteriorate to such an extent that has seen its customers suffer so badly. Moreover staff at the company also face an uncertain future, and their situation must be clarified as quickly as possible tom allow them seek alternative employment and make plans for the future.

“I will be raising these matters in the Dail with the Communications Minister at the earliest opportunity to see what can be done for Smart customers, yet sadly this is one of the darkest days in recent years for the entire telecoms industry.”

[generalmiaow]

Interesting. I imagine FF are probably worried about other things right now, but the responses to this issue are probably going to determine how I am going to vote in the next election.

[thebman]

Hit the nail on the head.

I personally found it unbelievable that Eircom just cut that number of people off without warning. Surely Smart were informed it would happen and should have informed their customers (more there responsability than Eircom's).

However Eircom should have contacted Comreg for advice on the appropriate action to take. I find it hard to believe that anyone thinks this was appropriate action.

When I saw this in the newspaper, my jaw literally dropped. All I'll say is thank god I'm not a Smart customer!

[Sam Johnston]

I just called Smart Telecom today Wednesday 3 October (we have connections in Harmonstown and Tallaght and I used one of them for the call and for this post) and got straight through to a rep who apologised and said that we would be receiving calls again within 2-3 days. The broadband service is fine and I can still make calls - given I barely ever receive calls I wouldn't have known the outage was happening if not for reading the news.

I sincerely hope Eircom, ComReg and the relevant ministers feel the heat over this. So far as I can tell Smart have tipped tens of millions into improving the otherwise dismal Irish broadband market and have a very competitive service, even internationally. They've now had tens of thousands of customers interfered with by a supplier who will likely end up the primary beneficiary.

This seems a great opportunity for some vote grabbing.

Sam

[Foxwood]

Bernard Durkan is keeping his eye on this particular ball. Expect the Minister to lash out that Durkan is not acting in the countries interest because he is highlighting the negatives.

Nothing new from Labour, the Green Party, the PDs or FF.

Wednesday 4th October 2006

Standing up for consumers and protecting the economy; ‘It’s not Magic, It’s just Smart’ - Durkan

While welcoming the news that Smart Telecom’s narrowband customers are to be reconnected following the disgraceful disconnection of over 40,000 telephone lines on Monday evening, Fine Gael Spokesperson on Communications and Natural Resources, Bernard Durkan TD has called for a sea change in regulation of the telecoms sector as vital for the future of our economy.

“Looking beyond the huge inconvenience caused to Smart Telecom’s 45,000 customers, the implications of Monday’s events for the Irish economy are huge.

“For one thing, it is highly unlikely anyone seeking to enter the telecoms sector will be able to secure the capital for such a venture. This will inevitably lead to a reduction in the potential for growth in the sector and will have a knock-on effect on jobs.

“Outside the telecoms sector, Ireland Inc has clearly taken a knock. Anyone observing the mass disconnection of telephone lines will be of the opinion that such an occurrence is like something that happens in a Banana Republic and not in a dynamic, knowledge-led economy. I am convinced that the perception of a dysfunctional telecoms market (which is clearly the case) will damage our efforts to attract foreign investment.

“And for consumers in general, the real danger is that ‘consumer inertia’ will become even more deep-rooted and they will view Eircom as the only safe bet for an uninterrupted telephone service. This will lead to even less competition and upward pressure on prices.

“This is where the Communications Regulator must play a pro-active role. This week has not been ComReg’s finest hour and the defensive attitude taken by Commissioner Goggin on radio this morning must not become the norm.

“I am calling on ComReg to redouble their efforts to take on Eircom’s dominance in the market, provide consumers with more information on their options and take direct steps to ensure mass disconnection never happens again”.

[cgarvey]

Smart stuff can go in the other thread.