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Eircon Vulnerable scheme

  • 26-04-2004 1:47pm
    #1
    parsi
    Site Banned Posts: 5,904 ✭✭✭


    I know there was some discussion about this before but has anyone actually signed up ? I got a flyer with my last bill and it suggests that if my eircon bill is less than €46 then I could sign up for that scheme and get 5oc a month off my line rental and €5 worth of calls...

    .. now since I'm on UTV my bill is just rental so I rang them up, they gave a bit of a spiel, offered to sign me up right then (we can't send out info on the products).. then suddenly discovered that they could send me out more info.

    So my basic question is has anyone gone onto it yet or is it just a red herring ?


Comments

  • #2
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,276 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    I assume to be on this, you must cancel your UTV subscription.

    So yes, it does seem to be another dirty trick by Eircom, very sneaky, using government support to steal customers from other companies.


  • #3
    Urban Weigl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭Urban Weigl


    You don't need to cancel UTV. Sign up, and prefix "13666" for 5 euros worth of free calls when dialing!


  • #4
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,276 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Originally posted by Urban Weigl
    You don't need to cancel UTV. Sign up, and prefix "13666" for 5 euros worth of free calls when dialing!

    OK, maybe it is possible but it shouldn't be allowed.

    Afterall this scheme was designed to help "vunerable" people, elderly, unemployed etc. and is paid for by the Irish taxpayer.

    People shouldn't be abusing it and Eircom certainly shouldn't be promoting it to people who don't need it.


  • #5
    Ripwave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Ripwave


    Originally posted by bk
    Afterall this scheme was designed to help "vunerable" people, elderly, unemployed etc. and is paid for by the Irish taxpayer.
    No, the Vulnerable user Scheme isn't subsidised by the taxpayer. While the taxpayer does subsidise eircom to the extent of almost €7million a month (for "free phones" provided by the Department of Social Welfare), the Vulnerable User scheme is a scam operated by eircom to help them escape the sort of regulation they deserve.


  • #6
    parsi
    Site Banned Posts: 5,904 ✭✭✭parsi


    Originally posted by bk
    OK, maybe it is possible but it shouldn't be allowed.

    Afterall this scheme was designed to help "vunerable" people, elderly, unemployed etc. and is paid for by the Irish taxpayer.

    People shouldn't be abusing it and Eircom certainly shouldn't be promoting it to people who don't need it.

    Who says anything about abuse - it's qualification is if you have a spend on calls less than a certain value - nothing to do with income status, job status or taxpayer status. In fact its a nice scam for them because if you use up your free calls the next batch are charged double !

    If it was designed for marginalised members of society do you think eircon would be advertising it ? No - they would have it buried in the teeniest of tiny print somewhere.


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  • #7
    Ripwave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Ripwave


    Originally posted by parsi
    If it was designed for marginalised members of society do you think eircon would be advertising it ? No - they would have it buried in the teeniest of tiny print somewhere.
    They did bury it in the tiniest of tiny print for the first year of it's existence, until the hullabaloo on the Joe Duffy Show and other places this year when the line rental was increased again. When they admitted that this scheme existed, and that they only had a couple of dozen users (because nobody knew qbout it), they used it to distract some of the criticism they were receiving.

    eircom have other discount schemes (eircom "options") that can save you a few bob, but they are also not well publicised.


  • #8
    Ripwave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Ripwave


    Originally posted by Urban Weigl
    You don't need to cancel UTV. Sign up, and prefix "13666" for 5 euros worth of free calls when dialing!
    Go to www.eircom.ie. Search for "vulnerable" (w/o the quotes). Look at the FAQ.
    Customers who are with another operator are not eligible for the vulnerable user scheme.


  • #9
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,276 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Hi, I apologise, it seems that this scheme isn't financed by the governement (well not directly) and it can be taken up by anyone.

    However, as Ripwave has pointed out you can't get it if you are with UTV or another carrier, so yes it is another dirty trick by Eircom.

    BTW parsi, did the Eircom sales woman mention that when you go over the e5 worth of calls, you will be charged double for the next e6.01 worth of calls?

    And since you won't be able to use it with UTV, you would more then likely go over e5.


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