Eircom still as incompetent as ever

Harcrid

Having never dealt with Eircom before, I never really had first hand experience of how bad they can be until this week.

I have been using a local company to provide my 1MB broadband via wireless for the past few years and don't really need a phone. I had rang Eircom about 6 months ago to see if they could provide broadband faster than 1MB but I was told me my line was amber and that was the max they could offer me so I stayed with my wireless provider.

An Eircom sales rep called to the house last Thursday selling broadband and telephone packages and there was a special offer for new connections for people who have not been connected for over twelve months. My house was eligible since I have never had a phone line activated. He said he could offer me a 7MB package with phone line for an introductory offer of €36 a month for 10 months. Sounded good to me but I explained that I had enquired before and was told the max I could get was 1MB.

He told me that he had already pre-called Eircom and verified that my house could now take up to 7MB. Sounded good to me and with the great introductory price offer I signed up.

The next day having slept on it I was a bit wary of the salesmans claim of being able to get a 7MB line so I rang Eircom directly and asked them what speeds could me house support. The lady on the phone told me that my line could now support up to 7MB. So naturally I felt more at ease and could not wait for the faster broadband.

My router arrived today and when I set it up and did a speedtest I was showing only 0.88Mb connection. I rang Eircom to make sure everything was connected ok and that my line was set up fully and I was told it was fully ready to go. Then I asked why was i not getting speed close to 7MB to which I was told that I had not signed up fpr 7MB, only 1MB as that was on the order form.

I had a copy of my order form where it clearly showed I had selected the 7MB package but anyway, I thought it was a minor inconvenience and can you please switch me onto the 7MB please. Of course, you guessed it I was told "Your line is amber sir and the maximum you can get is 1MB".

It was just so frustrating to hear that after you know you have asked multiple times and been told downright lies. It seems they will say anything to get you to sign up and then "hope" you won't notice the speeds you are getting. And then when I told them I wanted to cancel I was told I couldnt as I had not received my paperwork yet which contained my account number and I had to provide that before I could proceed with cancelling. Of course they could not give it to me over the phone for "security reasons". They said they would make note of my request to cancel on the call log in case I don't get my documentation with the 7 day cancellation period but whats the betting that note will casually disappear from my account next time I call them.

Eircom, you say you have your act together but clearly you do not. Please get your house in order and at least educate your sales staff to save your potential customers wasting hours of their lives fixing stupid issues like these.

*Rant over*

Sponge Bob

Eircom hid the customer complaint page very well when they designed the new website but a quick traverse of the root of one of their webservers tells me that it exists here

http://www.eircom.ie/logacomplaint

Problem is you normally need your account number and they won't give you your account number. Nevertheless you shoud formally log a complaint and demand they take their line and modem back for lying and misleading.

Inform them you will not pay a penny for this fraud, if eircom do not deal with the issue within 5 working days then take the complaint to Comreg and also inform Comreg that eircom did not issue you with a complaint reference number or account number and tell them sort it out with eircom.

If Comreg say you must wait more than 5 working days ask Comreg where eircom hid that on their new website.

watty

Write in writing on real paper registered mail. The entire story. To Comreg and eircom.

Then there is a record. Oddly people are more nervy at using the shredder than delete mouse click, even though a good Forensic IT is better able sometimes to recover deleted files than dumped cross cut shreddings. The Registered post receipt of course makes people think.

jor el

And just to add to what the two guys have said, if you've set up a direct debit payment option, cancel it now. Put that in writing to the bank, and either post it or bring it into your branch. Do not pay reward eircom for their sales people's lies, instead, make them pay for it.

spooky donkey

those sales people will say any thing to sell.

Harcrid

Luckily enough I did not provide any payment details and have not set up a direct debit. I have no intention of paying them a penny for this. I will of course be lodging a complaint both with Eircom and Comreg to report this dishonest selling practise.

Sponge Bob

They were on a right sales push this month with the 10 month free line rental offer . See if they renew it tomorrow in the special offer document ??

http://www.eircom.ie/About/Activities/internet_special_offer.pdf

Alun

Rule number one: never believe anything a door-to-door sales rep tells you about anything, regardless of whether they work for Eircom/UPC/Phonewatch/Bord Gais/Airtricity/Sky or whatever.

I had an old-school Eircom technician round to my house the other day to sort out some problems with my DSL connection (which BTW he did, and was very professional about it, I must say.) He told me that a large amount of his time these days involved convincing disappointed new customers that they'd been "had" by dishonest door-to-door sales reps. He's complained to his boss, but nothing seems to be being done. It's what you get when you get dodgy agencies employing (if that's the right word) desperate, out-of-work people working their balls off on a commission only basis to sell these products. All they're interested in is getting you to sign up, anything else is unimportant to them.

Harcrid

Alun wrote: »

Rule number one: never believe anything a door-to-door sales rep tells you about anything, regardless of whether they work for Eircom/UPC/Phonewatch/Bord Gais/Airtricity/Sky or whatever.

Which is why I rang Eircom direct the next day to verify the salemans claims. Foolish me thought that getting a double confirmation of a companies offer would be enough.

Sponge Bob

You must give eircom 5 days to resolve it or comreg will not entertain you. If comreg are their usual shifty selves about doing work after the 5 days ask them for a LINK to the eircom complaints procedure. ( There ain't none linkable that I know of ) .

bealtine

Alun wrote: »

Rule number one: never believe anything a door-to-door sales rep tells you about anything, regardless of whether they work for Eircom/UPC/Phonewatch/Bord Gais/Airtricity/Sky or whatever.

Get all the promises in writing....

watty

Rule # 1
Never ever buy from cold calling or spam.

Rule # 2
When you have researched and chosen a product/service:
Never believe anything a sales rep tells you about anything, regardless of whether they work for Eircom/UPC/Phonewatch/Bord Gais/Airtricity/Sky or whatever.

Get all the Promises in writing....

Chaos Marine

Where I work, we had a guy from Eircom buying a stealth camera to record a meeting with some big wig from Dublin. He claimed he'd get the sack if they knew he was recording some high up guy but the guy refuses to meet anyone to tell them anything unless it's off the record and there are no recording devices or anything present. Not even paper, biros or pencils. I don't know if it was just pure BS but it might entail interesting results in a week or so.

Runs Cold

any comms service has a 7 day cooling off period you can cancel and oits no quibble. ring them and cancel also the product was mis-sold if they promised you 7Mb and activated a 1Mb line.

Cryos

What you will probably find happened in this situation is that Johnny fast buck (the forementioned Eircom Sales representitive) rang up terry (another excel pushing sales person) and asked if the exchange you "the customer" are on is enabled for speeds of 7mb.

Its important to note that in general sales people arent very technical or know the minimum about a technology (it costs x amount and its this fast and heres the deal i can cut) so its easy for johnny to get his terminology wrong and prey on customers who have probably had a frustrating time with the lack of information from eircom over the years.

As has been said in a number of previous posts, if someone promises you the sun moon and stars be sure to get it in writing; Because what you will find is little johnny will have to check properly that your line can sustain those speeds and issue with written notification (i.e in writing) as a representitive of eircom; This gives you a whole pile of umpfh should eircom not give their word. Unfortunatly as it stands eircom is innocent untill they are proven guilty.

As a general interest, could you post your line stats ? Just to see if your line is capable of more ?

Harcrid

Yes, I am cancelling as I am within the 7 days period. Just waiting for my account number to arrive on some form of documentation as they won't proceed with my cancllation without it.

I have the router back in it's box now where it is going to stay so I can't post any stats on how much the line would actually take.

Sponge Bob

You must formally complain ....using the link I gave you....because your account number will not come within the 7 day cooling off period. Nor will 1901 give it to you...you can try

Frankly the account number should come with the modem. This is all Comreg's fault for being tossers.