Tesco International calling cards

looksee · 25-03-2014 5:51pm #1

Just paid €20 for one of these, cant get through to contact number to set it up. Tesco say that Eircom have blocked the number. Have contacted Eircom to see what their version is. Tesco no offering any solutions, though I will go into the shop and see what they say.

Meanwhile BE WARNED Tesco calling cards are not usable.

Fred Swanson · 25-03-2014 5:52pm

This post has been deleted.

snubbleste · 25-03-2014 5:53pm

Get a refund.
Get a tesco sim card, international calls are from 1cpm

darkpagandeath · 25-03-2014 6:03pm

They keep going on about their no quibble policy take it up to customer service and tell them the number is blocked. I.e. not fit for purpose. And you do have your 7 day cooling off period don't know if this would fall under it though.

OldRio · 25-03-2014 6:14pm

looksee wrote: »

Just paid €20 for one of these, cant get through to contact number to set it up. Tesco say that Eircom have blocked the number. Have contacted Eircom to see what their version is. Tesco no offering any solutions, though I will go into the shop and see what they say.

Meanwhile BE WARNED Tesco calling cards are not usable.

I have been using this service for at least 2 years. Just rang the number 01 437 0050 and working fine.
Very odd.

looksee · 25-03-2014 6:44pm

Yes, I had one, and instead of topping up the card, I got a new one, so maybe it is only new ones that are stopped.

Stavros Murphy · 25-03-2014 6:49pm

Aldi calling cards are brilliant.

looksee · 25-03-2014 6:57pm

If Eircom can stop the Tesco ones, they can stop any of them? I will make more enquiries.

Fred Swanson · 25-03-2014 6:59pm

This post has been deleted.

Menas · 25-03-2014 7:06pm

Its a great money saving scheme OP. Think of the money you have saved by not been able to make international calls.

Move to Bargain alerts MODs.

looksee · 25-03-2014 7:23pm

This is the email I got from Tesco:

Thank you for your email regarding the Tesco International Calling Card.

I am sorry for the problem you are having with the Calling Card. Can I ask if you telephone provider is Eirecom? If so then we have had customers having issues with using our Calling Card through them as it seems they have blocked the access number.

Once again thank you for your email. If you have any further questions or feedback regarding this experience or any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us either by phone or email. You can also visit our website for our latest call rates, frequently asked questions and much more at

tldr, bog off, its not our problem (and they can't spell Eircom)

darkpagandeath · 25-03-2014 9:44pm

looksee wrote: »

This is the email I got from Tesco:

Thank you for your email regarding the Tesco International Calling Card.

I am sorry for the problem you are having with the Calling Card. Can I ask if you telephone provider is Eirecom? If so then we have had customers having issues with using our Calling Card through them as it seems they have blocked the access number.

Once again thank you for your email. If you have any further questions or feedback regarding this experience or any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us either by phone or email. You can also visit our website for our latest call rates, frequently asked questions and much more at

tldr, bog off, its not our problem (and they can't spell Eircom)

It is their problem it's not like it's some mickey mouse phone provider it's the national provider that owns the infrastructure. I would just go in and say the card is not fit for purpose as it cannot be used on your land line. It’s like saying BT blocked them and claiming it’s not their problem.
Pretty despicable selling them knowing full well the country's national phone provider will not let you use them. There should be clear documentation providing this information or asked at time of purchase. If it did not work on talk talk or some random fair enough.

Donkey Oaty · 25-03-2014 10:04pm

looksee wrote: »

Can I ask if you telephone provider is Eirecom? If so then we have had customers having issues with using our Calling Card through them as it seems they have blocked the access number.

It's incredible that they say the above, but do not go on to say, at the very least:

1) We are working to resolve this with Eircom and will update you on progress;

2) Please have a full refund as our card doesn't work as we said it would.

looksee · 26-03-2014 2:31pm

Update: took it back to Tesco, initially they said they could not refund a calling card, but I had taken in a copy of the email and the manager authorised the refund. Still no word from Eircom.

Graces7 · 26-03-2014 2:36pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Get a refund.
Get a tesco sim card, international calls are from 1cpm

Agree fully; after getting stranded in the storms I bought a tesco mobile, for emergencies. Grand price of E9.99 and international calls at 1 cent a minute.

I gave up on eircom and vodafone years ago and use digiweb and blueface IP. Cheaper and flate rate.

MadsL · 26-03-2014 4:29pm

OP - report your experiences to Comreg. http://www.comreg.ie/consumer_initiatives/complaints_and_queries.459.573.html

looksee · 26-03-2014 10:51pm

MadsL wrote: »

OP - report your experiences to Comreg. http://www.comreg.ie/consumer_initiatives/complaints_and_queries.459.573.html

I will see what Eircom say - I have put a question in the talk to forum. I think really though its down to Tesco to sort it with Eircom. They have refunded me so I can't really complain about that, I just have to find another calling card and hope that Eircom are not stopping all these numbers.

26-03-2014 11:52pm

MadsL wrote: »

OP - report your experiences to Comreg. http://www.comreg.ie/consumer_initiatives/complaints_and_queries.459.573.html

I wouldn't waste my time. I've had two dealings with Comreg in the past 12 months. I found them to be an unhelpful and useless shower altogether.
All they managed to do was "open the lines of communication" for me.
Then washed their hands of my complaint completely.
Id save myself the bother and frustration tbh

OldRio · 18-05-2014 2:09pm

Well it looks like Eircom have now blocked my Tesco International Calling Card. What a shower of ****es they are.
Enough is enough. It seems I will be changing my phone and broadband provider earlier than I thought. Every cloud etc.

Menas · 18-05-2014 6:59pm

OldRio wrote: »

Well it looks like Eircom have now blocked my Tesco International Calling Card. What a shower of ****es they are.
Enough is enough. It seems I will be changing my phone and broadband provider earlier than I thought. Every cloud etc.

They will be blocking skype access on their broadband next.

Tesco International calling cards

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