NTL Waterford to go

KevIRL

Staff got redunancy notices today. Closes on 31st December

RE*AC*TOR

What implications does this have for consumers?

merlante

Good lord!

First manufacturing, now call centres. The writing is on the wall.

merlante

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

What implications does this have for consumers?

Doubt the consumers will be affected, just the call centre I reckon.

merlante

On rte.ie now -- or the news coming up I would imagine!

110 jobs in the Waterford call centre to go. 350 in Ireland.

Cabaal

bloody hell!
http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0703/jobs.html

Trotter

So much negativity surrounding Waterford lately.. Big John Deasy sending the IDA to Dungarvan more often, more than likely at the expense of the city (Nice one John)...

Our friend McCann... and now this.

I really hope to hear a few good news announcements from the IDA about Waterford soon. We have nobody putting pressure on them sure.. why would they help us out.

Hopefully the NTL gang will find other work quickly.

Roen

Yeah, a bit of a bummer spending Christmas looking forward to losing your job . Hope they find work quickly.

Mossy Monk

Trotter wrote:

Big John Deasy sending the IDA to Dungarvan more often, more than likely at the expense of the city (Nice one John)...

that's not fair. Dungarvan needs jobs too

col o

I am pessimistic about this especially with Micheál Martin as Minister for ET&E.There is a perception that he has an anti-Waterford stance.This is borne out by his time in Education and Health.At least Harney delivered the short lived Nypro and Genzyme(and NTL I think):(

Waterford could really do without this.This is one of the few areas that was not in the traditional manufacturing sector that Waterford is over reliant on.

Trotter

Mossy Monk wrote:

that's not fair. Dungarvan needs jobs too

Sorry.. Having re-read what I wrote, it sounded worse than I meant. I fully agree that Dungarvan needs jobs too but I dont think the Waterford TD should be playing two parts of his constituency off against each other.

Ive worked in Dungarvan before and its a lovely spot. I think it should be developed aswell as Waterford city, not instead of.

If that makes more sense..

merlante

There are two fundamental attitudes that have to change with the government for Waterford to survive the next decade. (Because there will be no manufacturing or call centre jobs in Waterford in 10 years time. Fact.)

1.
That the IT status of WIT does not cut it when Waterford is competing with the University cities for attracting high quality jobs, therefore we need an upgrade now.

2.
That Waterford (and ultimately the south east) should be singled out and targeted for job creation because the city is barely keeping its head above water while the region has become poorer than the West. The 'fund the poor west' propaganda machine is still running on full power despite the blatant success of Galway city and the fact that places like Roscommon and Leitrim are now wealthier per capita than places like Kilkenny!


I firmly believe that if one or both of these conditions do not come to pass in the next 5 years, Waterford will become an employment basket case. It has already happened with textiles in Donegal. It WILL happen here. It's a case of getting the high tech jobs in that will in turn increase the service industries. In 10 years time, there will be no glass manufacturing to speak of in Kilbarry, AOL will be gone to India, it's a miracle that places like hasbro are still here, etc. Most of everything out in the estate is manufacturing. Assembly line stuff that can be done elsewhere cheaper. It will all be gone within a decade.

We have to fight or we're ****ed. If there is not an announcement for Waterford within the next two weeks, it means that Cullen is not in a position to do anything and drastic steps should be taken. What is needed is proper demonstrations in Dublin, not the bunch a lads laughing and smoking down in the glen, Waterford protest. Sorry to be dramatic but things aren't looking great.

Bards

According to Michael Martin it is not up to the government to grant university status on WIT (RTE's Morning Ireland 19th June).. if this is so, than I say that WIT should change its name right this minute to University College Waterford,stick a plaque on the building and change it's headed paper etc..... Cork RTC did it when WIT got upgraded so why don't we.

That'll shut them up in Govt Buildings, and send a strong messgae that we are fed up with politicans of all parties becuase Fine Gael & Labour are just as bad, if not worse. I reckon they will grant University Status if we try it, especially with Fine Fail doing so badly in the Polls and the Alternative Govt just waiting in the wings.

merlante

Bards wrote:

According to Michael Martin it is not up to the government to grant university status on WIT (RTE's Morning Ireland 19th June).. if this is so, than I say that WIT should change its name right this minute to University College Waterford,stick a plaque on the building and change it's headed paper etc..... Cork RTC did it when WIT got upgraded so why don't we.

That'll shut them up in Govt Buildings, and send a strong messgae that we are fed up with politicans of all parties becuase Fine Gael & Labour are just as bad, if not worse. I reckon they will grant University Status if we try it, especially with Fine Fail doing so badly in the Polls and the Alternative Govt just waiting in the wings.

I'd actually view that as a good sign. The campaign in Waterford seem to give the impression that expert opinion is on their side. The government change from 'NO' to 'let the experts decide' might be an effectual green light, and insulation for them from the fallout elsewhere in the country in the 'experts' make the right choice. We have to hope!

Any kind of a mob at all disrupting traffic/dail business/opening ceremony/whatever in Dublin would make a big improvement. No more marching in Waterford, it's a complete waste of time.

DéiseGirl

Trotter wrote:

Sorry.. Having re-read what I wrote, it sounded worse than I meant. I fully agree that Dungarvan needs jobs too but I dont think the Waterford TD should be playing two parts of his constituency off against each other.

Ive worked in Dungarvan before and its a lovely spot. I think it should be developed aswell as Waterford city, not instead of.

If that makes more sense..

Few more decent jobs in Tramore would be nice too

meldrew

Instead of envying galway and the west we should be trying to emulate them , there is a very powerful lobby group in that region which realised that there needed to be one main centre in the area for the whole region to survive and all the counties involved backed galway city as that centre , could you imagine that happening down here ? Not a chance , considering what Brendan McCann is doing and all the trouble over the boundary extension its a miracle theres any growth in Waterford City at all .

merlante

meldrew wrote:

Instead of envying galway and the west we should be trying to emulate them , there is a very powerful lobby group in that region which realised that there needed to be one main centre in the area for the whole region to survive and all the counties involved backed galway city as that centre , could you imagine that happening down here ? Not a chance , considering what Brendan McCann is doing and all the trouble over the boundary extension its a miracle theres any growth in Waterford City at all .

There just needs to be change of attitude. Waterford has to become fully recognised as a major city. It has suited certain interests to bang on about Galway and to forget Waterford.

Waterford is getting stronger though, despite the government!

themonk

Trotter wrote:

I fully agree that Dungarvan needs jobs too but I dont think the Waterford TD should be playing two parts of his constituency off against each other.

I think this really important point .... if say 1000 jobs were announced in dungarvan in the morning ...would it be true to say dungarvan people would fill them .... or the converse for waterford ....

the comment about better, fairer regional focus is whats needed .... as somebody who moved form the west of ireland region to the South East i not exactly sure that galway and the region west is doing all that well on the sustainable jobs front .... but it could be worse ... imagine if you lived in donegal ......

i do agree the NTL announcement is regretable considering that if UGC chorus did merge with NTL .... the folks there may still have there jobs .... it really is a shame

mike65

Strangly NTL called round today to sell me services I already had, plus BB which I don't want atm. Then they phoned!

Mike.

Dilbert75

The other regrettable thing about the Chorus / NTL merger is that it brings two incompetent companies, previously competing to some extent, together into one even more incompetent, less competitive company. Its bad for consumers, this takeover/merger.

mike65

They were'nt allowed to compete

Mike.

Jumpy

Dilbert75 wrote:

The other regrettable thing about the Chorus / NTL merger is that it brings two incompetent companies, previously competing to some extent, together into one even more incompetent, less competitive company. Its bad for consumers, this takeover/merger.

How do you figure that?
Look up the amount of customers UGC has, then add that to the amount of customers their parent company has in Liberty Global in the US.
They arent merging NTL Ireland and Chorus and then leaving them to their own devices they are putting a lot of money and effort into developing a true competition for Sky Broadcasting.
What does suck is the fact that people have to lose their jobs because of it. At least the whole company isnt closing down.

AdMMM

It was inevitable from the word go that jobs were going to be lost. 2 companies merging into one means a radical restructure of the new company. From what I hear though, the majority of staff will have to accept a drastic cut in their wages if they are to find another job.

On the wider scale though, this goes to show that it's not just the manufacturing industries that are at risk these days!

mike65

In a market so small two companies never made much sense.

Mike.

ToxicPaddy

merlante wrote:

I'd actually view that as a good sign. The campaign in Waterford seem to give the impression that expert opinion is on their side. The government change from 'NO' to 'let the experts decide' might be an effectual green light, and insulation for them from the fallout elsewhere in the country in the 'experts' make the right choice. We have to hope!

I hate to be negative, but I actually think that this is a stunt by Fianna Fail to keep us stung along until next year AFTER the elections in the hope that we will vote for them on the basis that we MIGHT get an university. I'd love a Uni in Waterford, I really think it would be the making of the city and county. The attractiveness to industry and the amount of companies who would be willing to locate here and fund research projects etc would be amazing. Even gobsh*tes like McCann wouldnt be able to stop them locating here.

The fact of the matter is that this government along with so many before them just doesnt want to locate a University here, the see Waterford as some backwater on the fringes of society and the only reason we actually have got anything in the past is if we get one of our TD's into a senior position in Government and they do that to keep the voters happy.

A motorway to Dublin is coming, but only after years and years of lobbying and fighting for it. Yet its not gonna be ready for at least 4-5 years.

The college was upgraded to an IT after years of fighting and lobbying, stipulations, having to do this and that, owning buildings of a certain age etc and as soon as it was upgraded from WRTC to WIT, they did the same with every other RTC in the country.. its like a promotion with no payrise.. a nice title to stick on your business card and sod all else.. so it really means absolutely nothing.

So it will be interesting to see what happens with the Uni. Personally I cant see it happening in my lifetime.. and I'm only 31..

NTL leaving is a big blow to Waterford and for those who are working there, I'd say they will find it very difficult to get a job elsewhere. Another situation where Waterford loses out as a whole and the local economy suffers. :mad:

kilkennycat2004

NTL would be known locally as the worst customer service department in the country.
This in contrast to the family type service that operated from Michael Street prior to the waterford call centre.
Anyone driving past there on a Sunday would see one or two cars outside, this the support service for the entire 26 counties.
On one occasion during a big GAA match WLR received so many calls concerning an outage that they had to taxi someone out there as no one would answer the phone.
Tough to see locals lose their jobs but the bigger picture is unless chorus have superman & superwoman on the phone already its hard to see how less staff can do the job more effectively.
People in Waterford can easily register their protest by switching directly to Sky Digital for instance.

Aquos76

kilkennycat2004 wrote:

Anyone driving past there on a Sunday would see one or two cars outside, this the support service for the entire 26 counties.

Shows what you know. NTL only have customers in 3 cities, Waterford, Dublin and Galway and some surrounding parts of adjoining counties. The rest of the country is covered by Chorus.

On one occasion during a big GAA match WLR received so many calls concerning an outage that they had to taxi someone out there as no one would answer the phone.

Have you proof of this. I personally find it hard to believe.

People in Waterford can easily register their protest by switching directly to Sky Digital for instance

A non regulated company in this country, who year after year increase their prices, now why would one want to do that. Also CS agents who constantly try and squeeze more money out of you. Have you ever tried downgrading a Sky package?


I have rang NTL customer service on numerous occasions with issues affecting my TV and BB services and on all occasions I have found them most helpful.
I wont argue with you about been on hold waiting for an operator, but you tell me another company that offers free phone tech support, in which you wont have to wait ina queue. MBNA, Meteor, and Vodafone all have a queuing system in place.

Even Eircom have a talking Fcuking computer. Is that the way you would like to see things going?

kilkennycat2004

Aquos76 wrote:

Shows what you know. NTL only have customers in 3 cities, Waterford, Dublin and Galway and some surrounding parts of adjoining counties. The rest of the country is covered by Chorus.
Have you proof of this. I personally find it hard to believe.
I have rang NTL customer service on numerous occasions with issues affecting my TV and BB services and on all occasions I have found them most helpful.
I wont argue with you about been on hold waiting for an operator, but you tell me another company that offers free phone tech support, in which you wont have to wait ina queue. MBNA, Meteor, and Vodafone all have a queuing system in place.

Even Eircom have a talking Fcuking computer. Is that the way you would like to see things going?

NTL have always boasted that the Waterford call centre services the whole country, and it does. FACT
The WLR incident happened on Sunday September 09, 2001. FACT.
It's not just NTL in Waterford that has woeful customer service. BBC's watchdog programme rang 10 companies as part of a trial during a 40 minute programme back in 2004. By programme end one had still not answered, & guess what it was NTL.. FACT
I used the Eircom system recently & compared to NTL it was a pleasure to deal with & still got transferred to the correct department within 10 minutes. Thuis would be considered utopia to NTL customers I know.

Aquos76

kilkennycat2004 wrote:

NTL have always boasted that the Waterford call centre services the whole country, and it does. FACT

Show me where it says this and how it alledgely services the whole country when as I have stated previously, they only supply their services to Waterford, Galway and Dublin and some surrounding areas.

The WLR incident happened on Sunday September 09, 2001. FACT.

Likewise, where is the proof that this happened and not just hearsay!

It's not just NTL in Waterford that has woeful customer service. BBC's watchdog programme rang 10 companies as part of a trial during a 40 minute programme back in 2004. By programme end one had still not answered, & guess what it was NTL.. FACT

I acknowledged that they had problems with trying to get through to certain areas of there call services, but as i have already stated, Show me a company which offers Free Phone support to its customers who dont.

And bye the way NTL is the biggest TV provider in the UK so that may have some bearing on their CS being so busy over there. So there is no point compairing NTL here in Ireland which had at the last count have over 370,000 customers to NTL over in the UK which have millions of customers. Oh and incase your were not aware they are no longer the same company.

rasper

semi-skilled labour intensive jobs are flying out of the country in general , same traits world-wide. If the muppets in charge respond to the obvious maybe some
positive signs may arise, however present gov. seems to think that to import cheap labour and keep it temporary (eg. child support to those who leave families at home) that will keep the celtic tiger myth purring.
Seems a lot of voters either believe FF/media spin on economy and was not fairly dependent on the temporary world/eu economies, or see no alternative.
Either way not good

keyran

kilkennycat2004 wrote:

Anyone driving past there on a Sunday would see one or two cars outside, this the support service for the entire 26 counties.
On one occasion during a big GAA match WLR received so many calls concerning an outage that they had to taxi someone out there as no one would answer the phone.

Here are the franchise areas

http://www.ntl.ie/athome/frequency.html

It is only in Dublin Galway and Waterford.

On the GAA incident If it was a large outage I am sure there was a very high amount of calls. Giving that I would assume the Outage had been logged however there is going to be a lot of people that don’t get through giving the fact that so many people are calling at the one time.

merlante

rasper wrote:

semi-skilled labour intensive jobs are flying out of the country in general , same traits world-wide. If the muppets in charge respond to the obvious maybe some
positive signs may arise, however present gov. seems to think that to import cheap labour and keep it temporary (eg. child support to those who leave families at home) that will keep the celtic tiger myth purring.
Seems a lot of voters either believe FF/media spin on economy and was not fairly dependent on the temporary world/eu economies, or see no alternative.
Either way not good

So what you mean is, Waterford needs a university! I totally agree.