[SBPost] 3 overstated customer numbers for four years

Sponge Bob

http://www.sbpost.ie/news/3-overstated-customer-numbers-for-four-years-51239.html

The mistake could lead to the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) having to revise four years of official data, as well as applying for an adjustment of EU-wide statistics.

‘‘We don’t know how much we’re off on the official figures," said a spokesman for ComReg. ‘‘Data 3 Ireland has provided to ComReg for the number of active pre-pay users has been incorrectly stated since 2006."

A spokesman for 3 Ireland declined to say by how much the figures had been overstated. The mobile operator has been supplying ‘registered’ pre-pay account figures, rather than ‘active’ account figures, as ComReg requires.

Upstream

From the article

A spokesman for 3 Ireland declined to say by how much the figures had been overstated. The mobile operator has been supplying ‘registered’ pre-pay account figures, rather than ‘active’ account figures, as ComReg requires.

Considering the number of unhappy customers on the megathread, who might have walked away, this could be a fairly significant figure. We'll have to wait and see. It's unfortunate that even overstated figures still leave us near the botton of the EU tables for broadband access.

Might the Minister have also used these figures, to say how wonderful the broadband situation in Ireland was, how the growth in broadband access was really taking off?

watty

3G figures don't count toward Broadband access with OECD

OECD has 256kbps as minimum speed for Broadband. http://www.oecd.org/document/46/0,3343,en_2649_34225_39575598_1_1_1_1,00.html

ii. Does not include 1. 3G mobile technologies 2. Wi-Fi 3. Exceptions: included in rare case that Wi-Fi/3G is the transport mechanism of a fixed-wireless provider (e.g. in rural UK, CZ)

The European Commission in gathering statistics omits the description "Midband", gathering "Narrowband" and three categories of "always on Internet labelled as "Broadband":

1. 0.144 up to 2Mbps
2. 2Mbps up to 10Mbps
3. Over 10Mbps.

They gather statistics of Mobile and dedicated Modem Mobile Internet usage separately. The European Commission is not suggesting that 0.144Mbps to 2Mbps is acceptable "Broadband" but is simply using it as a lowest tier to count subscriptions.

from http://www.techtir.ie/forums/internet-faq

Original Source http://www.oecd.org/document/46/0,3343,en_2649_34225_39575598_1_1_1_1,00.html

However the Irish Government frequently includes 3G and NBS as examples of our Broadband Growth.

clohamon

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0827/1224277688438.html

This also reflects badly on the regulator. Some months ago, O2, the second-biggest mobile player here, contacted ComReg to question the subscriber numbers supplied by 3, based on its own customer experiences.

On June 14th, commissioner Mike Byrne wrote to O2’s chief financial officer Paul Whelan to say it had “concluded an analysis of the concerns” but had found nothing amiss.

“Our conclusion is that the divergence from industry norms is capable of being explained by several factors around the H3GI business model which differs from other operators in a number of significant areas.”

In other words, there is no case to answer. Earlier this month, 3 contacted the regulator to say it had overstated its figures, which makes you wonder about the quality of the “analysis” by ComReg on foot of O2’s complaint.

ComReg is now “investigating” the matter and 3 could find itself on the end of a stiff censure and fine. What a mess.

A stiff censure from Comreg. Is that one of those oxy....thingies?

watty

Chorus lost a Wireless loop licence and FWALA in 2004 or 2005? Any "stiff censure" or "fine" of significance since?