SmartTelecom, Eircom & ComReg Debacle - My Letter of Complaint

JJDoherty

Thanks ASOK.

Can all posters please try and stick to the general theme of the thread, if you wish to discuss other aspects of this debacle then please post on an appropriate thread or create one to do so.

Bernard Durkan of Fine Gael is still the only person to have replied to my complaint. Will post here when/if this changes.

JJDoherty

I just received a letter from the ComReg chairperson, Isolde Goggin, today at lunchtime. The 2 page letter is dated 17th of October. In the first paragraph of the letter Ms. Goggin states that although my email was addressed to minister Noel Dempsey and CC'd to her, she felt she should respond.

It is a rather long winded affair that outlines the events leading up and after the withdrawal of services by Eircom from SmartTelecom and what steps ComReg took throughout. Information that I think at this stage most people, with an interest in these events, are fully aware of. It provides little else with regard to the main point I outlined in my email.

I do know that because of her position she is unable to offer an opinion as to the reasons that led to such a series of events or what measure should be taken by the minister with regard to freeing up the market but I was hoping to receive a reply that was slightly more "meaty" that the press release type of reply I did get.

I plan to reply to Ms. Goggin thanking her for the letter and I will have to scan the letter to post it here but as soon as I do, I will.

OFDM

JNive wrote:

However should there be a dispute or breach etc, comreg are powerless, as they arent a regulator but an observer really, who reports things, but cant do anything.

Who's fault is that? The Department's....

Blaster99 wrote:

If doing their job means collecting a salary, yes, they're doing an outstanding job. By any other measure they deserve all the abuse they receive.

Do you realise it's most likely the customer service team in comreg that are receiving all the abuse (via email and phone calls)? Almost certainly, they only pass on the complaints on to the relevant people who don't get the full whack of your outrage...

Sadly that scum of a company Eircon were fully within their legal rights to remove service from Smart. That's what happens when you don't pay the bills. What are comreg supposed to do about it when the minister hasn't given them the powers to do what everyone want them to do?

Moriarty

Off-topic posts moved to the recycle bin.

Please stay on topic. Any issues with the moderation of this forum should be brought up on the Feedback forum.

dahamsta

Surely the issue here isn't that Smart customers were cut off, but the blatant and arguably illegal preference ComReg demonstrated towards Eircom during this fiasco? If it's not illegal, it's unethical in the extreme, and another clear example that ComReg is plainly Eircom's bitch.

Concentrating on the contractual problem is playing right into their hands imho.

adam

dub45

dahamsta wrote:

Surely the issue here isn't that Smart customers were cut off, but the blatant and arguably illegal preference ComReg demonstrated towards Eircom during this fiasco? If it's not illegal, it's unethical in the extreme, and another clear example that ComReg is plainly Eircom's bitch.

Concentrating on the contractual problem is playing right into their hands imho.

adam

It will be very interesting to see if there is any follow up by Comreg to Eircom's winback behaviour in the immediate aftermath of the cut off.

dahamsta

ComReg was effectively handing customers over to their chum with no reference or acknowledgement of the competition, it doesn't seem likely. Anyway, what are they going to do, call them naughty and tell them not to do it again, again?

ComReg is useless, and incapable of change. It needs to be torn apart. The overpaid idiots in charge will end up working for the industry anyway, just a bit earlier.

IrelandOffline should be regulating this industry in Ireland. A bit of asskicking is needed if we want to improve on our current laughing stock status.

adam

JJDoherty

No surprise here, still no response to my letter from minister Noel Dempsey. Not holding out much hope for, what must be viewed as, my rather insignificant letter! Hey I'm not important, no large political donations to make, after all I'm only a concerned citizen and voter. Mind you, what can you expect from someone who has massively mis-handled all aspects of the telecommunications industry and its regulation!

Slightly pi**ed, still! :mad:

JJDoherty

I'm afraid I have been unable to scan the letter I received from ComReg chairperson Isolde Goggin to date but I do hope to do so soon.

With great surprise I received an email from Brendan Durkan, Fine Gael spokesperson on Communications & Natural Resources, on Tuesday the 14th who followed up on my original email to Minister Dempsey with a request for information regarding the whole SmartTelecom/Eircom mess. He received a letter from the minister and forwarded it on to me. The minister does not say anything new or in fact say much of anything, as would be expected, just the usual "political speak" and excuse making.

I have still not received any direct correspondence in reply to my original email from anyone including the minister apart from those already mentioned. I have asked if Mr. Durkan could following up on my behalf and push for answers to the substantive issues which I highlighted in my original email, including LLU, number portability and great regulatory powers for ComReg.

I will post here again if I received any further information, I will also attach
the letter that Minister Dempsey sent to Mr. Durkan in reply to his request for information later today hopefully.