How do i know if i got my phone disconnected?

jozi

Just moved into my flat again for the college term. There was a phone here trough out the summer that worked fine until a few weeks after a recent bill was got.
The lads here taught they got disconnected because no one paid the bill. The phone in the house has a dial tone but wont dial out, you get the tone that sounds as if its engaged (i think). If i ring the number i get the same tone, i dont get a aircom computer telling me its a invalid no.

Reason ive my doubts about being disconnected is because we recieved another bill today for line rnetal and broadband for this month and next month allong with phone calls that where made before things stopped working.

Anyone any idea what it may be, broken phone, disconnected, bad wiring?

As a note: i tried touching the wires at the point where they enter the house of the phone plug (only 2 wires btw), either they where not touching or it still just didnt work. Is it right theres only 2 wires needed as well?

Jozi

Stephen

Ring Eircom and ask them if its disconnected! 2 wires is correct btw.

jozi

I'm going to ring them as soon as i get home from college this evening. Found it strange, we cant make calls yet they send us a bill for the next 2 months line rental

cgarvey

jozi wrote:

The lads here taught they got disconnected because no one paid the bill. The phone in the house has a dial tone but wont dial out, you get the tone that sounds as if its engaged (i think).

Sounds like that's the "soft dial tone", which does mean you've been disconnected. The only number you can dial is 1901 to talk to eircom, or emergency services number. Broadband is billed by a seperate division (eircom.net), so that might explain why you continue to be billed for that.

jozi wrote:

As a note: i tried touching the wires at the point where they enter the house of the phone plug (only 2 wires btw), either they where not touching or it still just didnt work. Is it right theres only 2 wires needed as well?

Ummm, what? Why would you "touch" the wires? They were not touching what? 2 wires/1 pair is all that's needed for most modern phones. Either you're not describing yourself very well, or you need to stop experimenting!!

.cg

jozi

Never mind the wires touching bit, i'll try 1901 later on the phone

What needs to be done for rconnection? Are there fee's for it?

And if BB is done by a different department should we still be able to use it then? The bill was for BB for the next2 months along with line rental for what looks to be a disconnected phone line

Thanks,
Jozi

cgarvey

They'll probably try to charge you 25 quid, ish, for reconnection given that it was disconnected because of non-payment. You, of course, shouldn't have been billed for the BB, or the line rental if it was disconnected.. I'm just suggesting that that might be the reason you are being charged, incorrectly.

jozi

So i rang 1901 yesterday. Been disconnected since august 20th, diconnected by accounts what ever that means she couldnt explain it properly. I told her i still couldnt understand why we got a bill for line rental and bb for the next 2 months if we are disconnected?? Apparently it has something to do with accounts and something about the line being toc?

No BB till its all paid for anyway

cgarvey

Disconnected by accounts means just that surely. It wasn't paid, they disconnected you.. simple enough.

If you want to stay disconnected, you are entitled to a refund on the line rental and BB rental (which are both paid in advance). So take them from the balance you do owe and pay them (explaining that you're not paying for a service you didn't/couldn't possibly receive).

If you want to reconnect, then you're in a weaker position. If they threaten to charge you the 25 ish quid to reconnect, plead that you prefer not to pay that given that you're already paid (which you will have by that time, if you clear the amount owed) for BB/line rental for when you couldn't receive it. If they insist on the reconnection charge, seek a refund for the period where your line/BB was unusable. Threaten Small Claims Court action if you like.