Eircom: No need for new players (SBPost)

SkepticOne

This Article in the Sunday Business Post describes a submission made by Eircom to Bertie Ahern:

Less than three years after Eircom's multibillion euro flotation, its new owners have called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to provide state aid for the telecommunications sector that it dominates.

The now privately owned telco said "significant and sustained state funding" was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved.

In a submission to Ahern, Eircom said the focus of public policy should now be to encourage demand for existing services rather than attracting new players to the market.

"There is a case for providing state aid as a subsidy to the users of the access network. This would encourage the development of e-commerce applications and would be technology and carrier neutral," the submission said.

Once again, Eircom talks about lack of demand as being the main problem in the Irish market. Naturally it does not seem to occur to them that demand is generated by supplying innovative competitive services. Instead, they suggest that the tax payer should subsidise users of their expensive out of date services. The idea that this sort of subsidy is "carrier neutral", is of course, ludicrous given the lack of competition.

BoneCollector

"significant and sustained state funding" was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved.

NOO!!!
if they cannot provide they should sellup and get out! and give someone else a chance to facilitate telecomunications sector...

I say Ireland off line should campaign against any state funding to a privite monopoly that is already screwing the public. :mad:

In a submission to Ahern, Eircom said the focus of public policy should now be to encourage demand for existing services rather than attracting new players to the market.

And now there trying to recapture or increase there stanglehold on there Monopoly!!!! :mad:
I have also just sent my objections to the office of an Taoiseach
stating my ojections and sugest anyone reading this do the same.

SkepticOne

Originally posted by BoneCollector
And now there trying to recapture or increase there stanglehold on there Monopoly!!!! :mad:

Well, they're entitled to try. But I think they need to be a little more sophisticated in their approach to lobbying. I mean, this sort of thing must strike the unbiased observer as pure greed in the face of screaming from businesses and consumers for a bit more choice in the market. I don't think there will be very many in policy making positions that will take what Eircom are saying seriously. They have been saying the same thing for more than two years.

Cork

What do ye think of the Tribune story about the UK wireless company entering the market?

I think that all it will take to break the mould is one company like this.

Eircom will then to shamed into action.

nahdoic

[puts on management eircom-tinted rosey colored glasses]

The now privately owned telco said "significant and sustained state funding" was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved.

What? "significant and sustained state funding was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved". But wait a second don't we have hi-speed internet access for 59 cent day. Don't forget about our extra 10 bonus hours every month you can sign up for. And we have the lowest interconnect fees in Europe? It's the people of Ireland - they're just bored with the internet. But don't worry - I have a good idea to tackle the core of the issue - let's blow a few million on a complete on-line, print, radio, tv advertising campaign to show a mouse prancing around in the buff, that'll convince the silly little Irish people that the internet is not boring. Look it's a mouse ... awww look at the cute little thing ... now it's a super mouse. Right, good thinking lads, sorted - chi-ching! Now who wants some curry chips?

Ireland would be so lost without our innovative ingenuinity. Isn't everything just rosey?

So what's this "significant and sustained state funding was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved" all about? Hasn't this already been achieved? Aren't we just the best?

[/puts on management eircom-tinted rosey colored glasses]

Oh wait a second ... that's right. That's just the pathetic idiotic spin Eircom have marketed their sub-standard antiquitated, monopolistic services with - ahhh. The real situation is that they and the irish people are up sh|t creek struggling to find a paddle. Now will the government decide to pour more sh|t into the creek - or how about cleaning up this mess once and for all - and LISTEN to INFORMED people with some actually CLUE FACTOR when it comes to the net like Ireland OFFLine.

We have a quote from Eircom finally admitting that they are rip off merchants. I think it should be framed, and the next time they try to fob us off with that idiotic spin of how great value their services are then ask why they ever said this:

"significant and sustained state funding was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved"

You mean you don't offer low cost services? Well d'uh!

[puts on eircom-invented customer rosey colored glasses]

la-di-da everything is good. I'll just take out another mortgage to pay for my net bills and give it all to eircom - la-di-da. Hmmm I think I'll write Eircom into my will - leave them everything when I die (including debt inducing unpaid phone bills :P). Hmmm well this pound of flesh is almost half carved out already, maybe I'll just give them that as well.

[/puts on eircom-invented customer rosey colored glasses]

aidan_dunne

You know what's going on here folks, don't you? Eircom are terrified that some new telecoms company are going to enter the Irish market that are so much better than Eircom and finally show how shoddy an operation Eircom is that they are trying to prevent this from happening. As it stands, Esat can't really compete with Eircom and their operation is probably even more shoddily run than Eircom's so Eircom know they've nothing to worry about from Esat. But it's the thought of a company coming in and blowing Eircom into the weeds that is obviously scaring the $hit out of them and that's why they want any new competition stopped.

We all know how bad Eircom are and maybe the Eircom execs have finally pulled their heads out of their own ar$es and realised that Eircom is not really as great as they thought it was and have tried to convince the public it was and this will come right out into the open if a better company enters the Irish market. So they've decided, "$hit lads, if a decent company enters the market, we're screwed. Let's come up with some sort of story to take to the government that will convince them to stop new competition and our ar$es will be covered and we can continue ripping off our customers and brainwashing them into thinking we're the best!"

This really takes the biscuit. In fact, Eircom have swiped the whole biscuit tin, tucked it under their arm and run off with it this time. How greedy, self-centred and arrogant can you get? We knew Eircom was capable of pulling some pretty amazing tricks in the past to try and hold onto their monopoly and stifle competition but now this? Jesus Christ almighty! I just hope the government will be able to see through this and realise what Eircom are up to. But, then again, with the politicians taking backhanders left, right and centre from Eircom I bet Eircom will get their own way once more, just like they did with the Communications Bill.

Ba$tards! :mad:

212.2.179.66

The now privately owned telco said "significant and sustained state funding" was required if low cost, nationwide access to telecommunications was to be achieved.

Am i wrong in saying that Eircom were already given 1,000,000's already to acheive this? Im sure i seen letters on it in the past? And if so. What did they do with it?

212.2.179.66

aidan_dunne

Originally posted by 212.2.179.66

Am i wrong in saying that Eircom were already given 1,000,000's already to acheive this? Im sure i seen letters on it in the past? And if so. What did they do with it?

212.2.179.66

*ahem* stuffed their already bulging wallets and pockets with it! *ahem*

Delphi91

Originally posted by SkepticOne
...Once again, Eircom talks about lack of demand as being the main problem in the Irish market. Naturally it does not seem to occur to them that demand is generated by supplying innovative competitive services...

I am reminded when I read this, of a comment made by Thomas Watson back in 1942(?). Watson was the then head of IBM. He said "I think the global market for computers is 5". How wrong he was.

Eircoms current thinking in relation to lack of demand for services is quite reminicent of Watsons thinking. How wrong he was. How wrong Eircom are!!

Mike

vinnyfitz

Does anyone have a link?
Will Eircom send us a copy?
Or would the committee request it from Government - ie the FOI officer in the Taoiseach's Department (Since it is available under the Freedom of Information Act there is no reason why IOFFL can't have a copy as well)