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Eircom Phonewatch: what they don't tell you in their ads

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  • 17-03-2011 8:55pm
    #1
    Dionysus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,420 ✭✭✭


    So, the house was broken into last week, a couple of laptops and other things stolen and clothes and everything in the bedrooms thrown around the place....

    Anyway, we rang Eircom Phonewatch that night and they said that we must not have set the alarm. We said we definitely did, as we always did. That morning the recorded voice in the alarm said the usual "System Arming" and off we went. Next morning, an Eircom engineer came out and confirmed that we did actually set the alarm but - wait for this - the phoneline was down and therefore the alarm was not working. We never use the house phone as all calls are done through our mobiles. The house phone only exists for the Eircom Phonewatch and the internet broadband which, curiously, was working fine all the time.

    So, for God only knows how long we thought the house was alarmed by virtue of setting it and the "System Arming" confirmation, but it wasn't. Eircom did not contact us on our mobiles about this, or anything else. We were paying for a service which we did not have, and we only found out after the crime that we did not have this service.

    Two things:

    1. Eircom Phonewatch will not work unless the phone line is working. If it is down, they do not contact you to inform you but you are led to believe by the continuing 'System Arming' voice recording that it is working fine. They certainly do not highlight this point in all their advertisements - seriously misleading.

    2. All those Eircom Phonewatch ads about house robbers being afraid when they see the Eircom Phonewatch alarm outside are patently nonsense.

    /rant over.


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    #2
    cherryghost
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 17,133 Mod ✭✭✭✭cherryghost


    Funnily enough that's not the first time I've heard that excuse. Two other people I know has claimed the engineer said a similar thing.


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    #3
    marbar
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭marbar


    jaysis that sounds terrible


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    #4
    Saila
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,751 ✭✭✭Saila


    ads are for selling you stuff, customer services are for sorting stuff out when it breaks goes wrong ;)


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    #5
    bobblepuzzle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭bobblepuzzle


    I wonder if the alarm is set off are the gaurds gauranteed to go down to the house??


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    #6
    Absurdum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,445 ✭✭✭Absurdum


    bobblepuzzle wrote: »
    I wonder if the alarm is set off are the gaurds gauranteed to go down to the house??

    they are told the alarm is going off, it could be 3 hours later again they get there


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    #7
    Saila
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,751 ✭✭✭Saila


    bobblepuzzle wrote: »
    I wonder if the alarm is set off are the gaurds gauranteed to go down to the house??

    yes and there are always 2 guys robbing the house and your neighbours and a family member are there and wave on demand too


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    #8
    marbar
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭marbar


    in fairness though, cutting the phone lines kills this service anyway


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    #9
    brousuka
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭brousuka


    Thank you for this post. It seems you were very unlucky that the phone line went down when the robbery happened. I will never consider eircom phonewatch for my home security because of this.


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    #10
    Metallitroll
    Closed Accounts Posts: 558 ✭✭✭Metallitroll


    Dionysus wrote: »
    All those Eircom Phonewatch ads about house robbers being afraid when they see the Eircom Phonewatch alarm outside are patently nonsense.

    /rant over.

    haha that'd be funny; the twee chick in the ad discovering it failed mid smug-sentence

    i'd take no satisfaction in what'd ensue though :/ burglers out!!


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    #11
    dj jarvis
    Registered Users Posts: 3,485 ✭✭✭dj jarvis


    i can believe every word , slightly off topic but same chancers ( eircom)
    had them at my door try to get me 2 sign up for broadband ( for the 50th time )
    the guy started his spiel , and straight away i was smelling a rat big time , started quoting mental speeds that I KNOW the local exchange does not support ( im a IT engineer with knowledge of this exchange )
    he also started to quote prices for the first twelve months , and i asked what happens after ?? the F*****G spoofing little P****K started making up **** as he went along
    i knew he was being a knob ( he promised if i closed the account on the last day of the 12 months i can re apply next day and get the intro offer )
    but in fact you cant and it would have cost a fortune :eek:
    so i pulled him up on all the points and he started getting all " ahh eh eh well this and eh "
    before i ran him i pointed out all his lies and he just went red and literally
    burst into tears

    not so bad for me i know how to deal with chancers like this but what if it was some elderly couple or some one vulnerable ,
    so yes i belive your story because eircom are a bunch of chancers themselves , could not belive what this guy was trying 2 pull :mad:


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    #12
    fabbydabby
    Registered Users Posts: 1,313 ✭✭✭fabbydabby


    I thought the eircom alarm system was wireless?


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    #13
    Poor Uncle Tom
    Registered Users Posts: 14,545 ✭✭✭✭Poor Uncle Tom


    fabbydabby wrote: »
    I thought the eircom alarm system was wireless?

    /about as much use as the wireless box on the gable wall.


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    #14
    crossmolinalad
    Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭crossmolinalad


    marbar wrote: »
    in fairness though, cutting the phone lines kills this service anyway
    Indeed they did that at a friends house
    They opened the white little box outside and cut the wire and then broke into the house
    Nobody notice it no alarm was going off


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    #15
    whiskeyman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,564 ✭✭✭✭whiskeyman


    I think it's time to talk to Joe...


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    #16
    marbar
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭marbar


    crossmolinalad wrote: »
    Indeed they did that at a friends house
    They opened the white little box outside and cut the wire and then broke into the house
    Nobody notice it no alarm was going off

    they did it at a place my da works years ago. going into company holidays, loads of 3 week wage packets in the safe. cut the wires and had the whole night to work on the safe. cut it in half!


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    #17
    Spunge
    Registered Users Posts: 2,779 ✭✭✭Spunge


    This is genius, just cut the phone wires.
    Get the word out to every thief and junkie in the country and rob those fúckers dry.


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    #18
    squod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,704 ✭✭✭squod


    Dionysus wrote: »
    We never use the house phone as all calls are done through our mobiles. The house phone only exists for the Eircom Phonewatch and the internet broadband which, curiously, was working fine all the time.

    So, for God only knows how long we thought the house was alarmed by virtue of setting it and the "System Arming" confirmation, but it wasn't.
    1. Eircom Phonewatch will not work unless the phone line is working. If it is down, they do not contact you to inform you but you are led to believe by the continuing 'System Arming' voice recording that it is working fine

    /rant over.

    Two things here. EP have a contract with you. Part of that contract is two service calls in the year. So, six months ago (or less) someone either turned up at your door and did a full service on the system or did a remote call out through your phone line.

    Sounds to me that they didn't do that. The governing body in charge of these things is the PSA. If EP have acted illegally here and mislead you and the PSA then you should be reporting them. Or taking a claim against them.

    First thing I would do though is request a hard copy of all the services made on the alarm. Who called out to make those service calls and when.


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    #19
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    Eircom have & always will be

    1. Overpriced
    2. Useless
    3. Shit at customer relations / service

    They still operate as if they had the monopoly they once had & mainly because many Irish people are idiots. They refuse to change phone operators (land & mobile) because they've "always been with (insert company name here)". Same goes for insurance companies, electricity suppliers etc.

    If this weren't true, then the ESB would have no customers left. But they do.

    Baffling.

    The amount of times I've suggested to people that they change mobile phone operators to get cheaper calls & have been told, "oh, but I want to keep my number", is ridiculous.

    People are fucking retarded. And that's why Eircom still exist.


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    #20
    -Corkie-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,025 ✭✭✭✭-Corkie-


    That happened to me as well op except I got the little blondie of the ad and spanked the ass of her...

    HMMMMM. I enjoyed it..:):)


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    #21
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    OP, that sucks, but it's Eircom so are you really surprised?

    I don't understand why people buy these fancy alarm systems. Statistically the chances of your house being broken into are low so it's just not worth the expense of having this crap installed and paying monthly/yearly fees ON TOP of your house insurance which will cover anything that's stolen anyway!!

    Just buy a plastic alarm box, stick it on your house and the effect will be the same without the cost.


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    #22
    Absurdum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,445 ✭✭✭Absurdum


    If I were a burglar, I'd go for the phonewatch gaff. They only have an internal alarm which, although loud and annoying, isn't really gonna bother anyone outside. Eircom will waste a good five minutes looking for keyholders before they ring the Gardai, if they get to that stage. Then it's a lottery about how many minutes or hours until they arrive. Let's say minimum 10 minutes, so that's 15 minutes undisturbed stealing time. Enough to get in, get the valuables and get out. Of course if the keyholder does comes in, you stab him in the head and continue on your robbing spree.

    Stupid system.


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    #23
    MT3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭MT3


    starbelgrade wrote: »
    Eircom have & always will be


    If this weren't true, then the ESB would have no customers left. But they do.

    I'm genuinely curious - who else can you choose to supply your electricity? Cause I would change in an instant if I could.

    I'd love to have someone tell me, straight up with no hidden agenda, which phone providers are the best too! Imagine not having to research all the little fine print in all the rip off "deals"!


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    #24
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    EircoN(yes CON) have been robbing consumers for years. Do not trust them, use an alternative security arrangement to protect your house.


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    #25
    Absurdum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,445 ✭✭✭Absurdum


    MT3 wrote: »
    I'm genuinely curious - who else can you choose to supply your electricity? Cause I would change in an instant if I could.

    I'd love to have someone tell me, straight up with no hidden agenda, which phone providers are the best too! Imagine not having to research all the little fine print in all the rip off "deals"!


    Are you seriously telling us you haven't seen those annoying ads with that Lucy one for the last couple of years with her ten percent off jingle? And you haven't heard of Eirtricity and their dubious clean leccy claims?


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    #26
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    MT3 wrote: »
    I'm genuinely curious - who else can you choose to supply your electricity? Cause I would change in an instant if I could.

    I'd love to have someone tell me, straight up with no hidden agenda, which phone providers are the best too! Imagine not having to research all the little fine print in all the rip off "deals"!


    Airtricity & Bord Gas are both cheaper than ESB.

    Here's a link to a price comparison website which will tell you which one is the cheapest option for you.. http://www.bonkers.ie/

    Some of the deals are cheaper than others depending on how you decide to be billed or to pay, but both Bord Gas & Airtricity are at least 10% cheaper than ESB.


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    #27
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    OP, that sucks, but it's Eircom so are you really surprised?

    it's not just eircom, they're all as bad as each other, there's not a single utilities company I can think of that whose name hasnt graced this forum in the last few months.
    the reason I actually am with Eircom is that if/when there's a problem with a line, they're going to take care of their own customers a hell of a lot quicker than those with another provider.
    I had what I thought was a problem with the line (ended up being an electrical problem - wiring,etc), rang them and they came out the next day, and wasnt even charged for it.


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    #28
    Sofiztikated
    Registered Users Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭Sofiztikated


    dj jarvis wrote: »
    i can believe every word , slightly off topic but same chancers ( eircom)
    had them at my door try to get me 2 sign up for broadband ( for the 50th time )
    the guy started his spiel , and straight away i was smelling a rat big time , started quoting mental speeds that I KNOW the local exchange does not support ( im a IT engineer with knowledge of this exchange )
    he also started to quote prices for the first twelve months , and i asked what happens after ?? the F*****G spoofing little P****K started making up **** as he went along
    i knew he was being a knob ( he promised if i closed the account on the last day of the 12 months i can re apply next day and get the intro offer )
    but in fact you cant and it would have cost a fortune :eek:
    so i pulled him up on all the points and he started getting all " ahh eh eh well this and eh "
    before i ran him i pointed out all his lies and he just went red and literally
    burst into tears

    not so bad for me i know how to deal with chancers like this but what if it was some elderly couple or some one vulnerable ,
    so yes i belive your story because eircom are a bunch of chancers themselves , could not belive what this guy was trying 2 pull :mad:

    See, the thing is, those door to door "sales" people are not directly working for Eircom. They work for sales companies, and they have a sales target to hit. More often than not, they have next to no product knowledge, and are told to get the sale no matter what. The companies usually call themselves a "Marketing company."

    This week it could be Eircom broadband they are selling, next week, Sky, following week Airtricity, etc etc.
    MT3 wrote: »
    I'm genuinely curious - who else can you choose to supply your electricity? Cause I would change in an instant if I could.

    I'd love to have someone tell me, straight up with no hidden agenda, which phone providers are the best too! Imagine not having to research all the little fine print in all the rip off "deals"!

    :confused:

    Do you watch TV at all?

    Bord Gais, the Big Switch?
    Airtricity?
    That's your electrickery sorted.

    Vodafone
    Perlico
    etc etc etc.

    2 seconds on google and I found http://www.tryswitch.ie/


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    #29
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    Sofiztikated wrote: »

    2 seconds on google and I found http://www.tryswitch.ie/

    http://www.callcosts.ie/home/default.asp

    Better website for phone cost comparisons, run by ComReg.


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    #30
    -Corkie-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,025 ✭✭✭✭-Corkie-


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA6R1TqFL1g


    Spank her ass..................:D:p:pac:


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    #31
    fred funk }{
    Registered Users Posts: 6,827 ✭✭✭fred funk }{


    Interesting thread here lads. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056190116


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