Eircon Broadband Trickster Programme

eircomtribunal

Press release for ComWreck.com 12 May 2004


"Eircom announced plans to introduce a trigger mechanism for towns with a population of less than 1 500. The threshold for automatically upgrading an exchange was set at between 200 and 700 residential customers." This quote from the May 2004 OECD report on THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROADBAND ACCESS IN RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS demonstrates how Eircom's broadband trigger programme raises its ugly head everywhere.
The trigger programme was uncritically reported and applauded in all the Irish media, even in government publications, at nauseam.

And we are sick of it.

Eircom's broadband trigger programme is nothing but a cynical PR exercise: It is simply impossible for any of the 150 trigger towns to achieve the required level of votes.

The private company that brought Ireland down to second last place in the European broadband ranking - right in front of the dopey eyes of our spineless Regulator - insults the people of the trigger towns further by not even bothering to update the few possible votes on its website.

Read the full story on www.comwreck.com. Direct link to the article is: http://www.comwreck.com/blog_20_may12.html#

viking

In August 2003, eircom gave me a trigger level of "circa 100" for Kinnegad. With the introduction of their trigger programme they kindly tripled that number to 304.

100 was just about manageable, but 304, well...

As you said, it is a blantant PR stunt that many people have fallen for.

I think the main point that needs to be driven home to people is that it is "not the inhabitants of the towns that can vote, but only holders of fixed line accounts with Eircom can vote, that means households with landlines."

This is the real scam of the trigger programme.

viking

vinnyfitz

Good work ET!
Lots of very useful content in the blog article - all media please copy.

BrianD

but only holders of fixed line accounts with Eircom can vote, that means households with landlines."

And the irony is that Eircom have everything to gain by allowing non subscribers to vote. I am sure there are many new homes in Kinnegad (for example) where there is no fixed line but the owner would consider one for PC usage. Once the line is in, the owner will use it for non-data calls as well meaning extra revenue for Eircom. At the very least, they would send out any sales people to pester non-subscribers who voted into signing up for their services!

watty

of course if you didn't need an Eircom account code some people might "vote early and often"!

BrianD

A simple registration form would do the trick ... afterall if you want the service you are eventually going to tell them where you live!

eircomtribunal

Originally posted by vinnyfitz
Good work ET!
Lots of very useful content in the blog article - all media please copy.

Sunday Business Post:
Eircom accused of misleading customers