Least awful mobile service?

Fand

My beloved retro-looking military-issue-style Nokia something-or-other is cracking up, and I went into an Eircell agency on Grafton Street.

They said it would take 4 weeks to get it mended, so I asked to buy the cheapest phone in the shop to use while I was waiting. They put me through to Eirecell's 'service' department, who said nah, nah, nah, I couldn't have it because I'm not due an upgrade till January.

They didn't even ask about the lavish fiver a month worth of insurance I've been paying them - just made sure that I was on direct debit...

So I'm about to change to Esat. But are they just as bad? (or is that possible?)

Linnie

i reckon eircell sucks, there's always something wrong with the network and the reception is crap. but then, i dont really wanna flatter digifone either... they're all robbers all the same arnt they?! (but if u ask me, digifone has got a much better network) (but then, wot do i know?)

Enygma

I used to be on Eircell but switched to ESAT when I started working (They were paying the bills )
TBH I still think that eircell was better, I'm on my third phone with ESAT and it still sucks donkey balls. Of course maybe I just don't remember what it was like on eircell.

Final answer: they all suck.

====
When a friend of mine got laid off a few months ago he went in to get his phone changed over to him. When they did that whatever they do out the back they told him he couldn't get one! He had no bad credit history and plenty in the bank. They didn't give him a reason either, b@stards.

beaver

Immoral idea maybe, but that seems to be the tenet that Eircell is based on...

Why didn't you stamp the phone into oblivion if it's insured? If it's old then they're probably not being made any more and you most likely would just have been issued a new one...

Incidently, in my experience Eircell do have a better network. The thing that gets me is that both companies are just arseholes and are very annoying to deal with if you have any problems. It's like "There's something wrong with my phone - it won't make calls..." - "Oh, hang on I'll just check... ah, yes, our network is down." - "R-i-i-ght, so when will it be back up?" - "What? I don't know!" - BEEP...

Linnie

thats wot i mean!!! the eircell network is always down!!!! at least that doesnt happen with esat.
all i can say is that they are all bastards.
have a good weekend, im going home. (finally)

fi

im with eircell years now, and i am quite happy with them i got myself a £200 fon for just £25 plus i talked them into giving me the case and incar headfones!!

They are not off that much, and on the odd occasion they offer free sms maunly bank holidays but they dont advertise that fact!!!

Lex_Diamonds

Its like people have never heard of Meteor. Irish consumer faggotry strikes again. First softdrinks now this....

Mills

I'm with Esat, mainly because they have a mast just down the road from me, but I also find them to be a bit cheaper than Eircell, which most of my friends are on. Also I like the way that there's no time limit on credit, once you have some money in the phone you can take years to spend it if you like.

Turner

Eircell rox0rs ur boXerers

Biggest network-1.5 million customers-more population covered than esat-better wireless services (e-merge)-more payment options-first to launch rtg.Have now teamed up with one of the biggest companies in the world(vodafone)

What who said i work fot them.... so what...fupp off esat heads...

Fand

Chief, my phone (which I love) went down, I wanted to buy a cheapie to allow me to make calls while it was mended (taking four weeks during which I'd pay Eircell's exorbitant rental, plus exorbitant insurance, but get no service), and Eircell said I couldn't get a cheapie phone because I'm slightly under two months away from an "upgrade". This despite the fact that I've been with them on 088 then 087 for something like three years, and only once had an "upgrade".

To me this is arrogant, bad service. I don't want to be a customer of such a company. I'm moving to Esat.

As for Meteor, their calls are too expensive; being able to call Meteor customers in England for the same price might be nice except that I only know two people there I'd like to call, and neither has a Meteor phone.

The Clown Man

This has lightened up my morning somewhat.

I'm chasing Chief's workmates around and looking at the somewhat amusing post's they are putting up under his unloggedout (?) boards account.

No, that is not Chief, yes, they work in eircell (but not really its eirpage regardless of who bought them ), and no I don't think I'll ring him to tell him whats happening to his post count.

The Clown Man

Oh and Fand, from my experience of working in Eircell (not anymore) (and the REAL eircell) there is very little chance of getting an upgrade for any reason if it's not already there. It's got to do with the fact that they pay around £170 - £250 for your upgrade so they are obviously going to be dodgy about it.

So unless you have bills of £100 pm or more you wont get one in a year. Oh and you'll never get one within less than a year. Not till your out of contract.

I'm sure they told you that the only thing that covers any sort of broken phone is insurance. You see, the phones themselves are nothing to do with eircell. They run the network. The sim card is their responsibility and the phone is the agents/manufacturers. Confusing I know but thats how it's done. They actually pay for the main part of your phone just so you will be on their network.

So the agents would have been the best bet there. They sometimes lend people phones while their damaged ones are bieng replaced but it is totaly up to A) whether they want to and whether they have a spare one or not.

Now, trust me, I'm not sticking up for them but that is their watertight stance. It's the same with all networks. They don't have any phones to give you because they don't make them or buy them or anything. They just run the network. Insurance would get you a new phone in 24 hrs.

elexes

well im on eircell ive gotton .... 4 upgrades in last maby 3 yrs . no phones broke . im happy wif the network never lets me down reely . apart from the train jurniey to cork .

Fand

No, I don't have huge bills - but I do have *regularly paid* bills: I pay by direct debit.

I'm switching because I don't like arrogance. I don't like it in bus drivers, in cops (who call you patronisingly by your first name while not expecting you to call them by their first name), by phone "services" that think they have you over a barrel.

The one good thing about mobile phones is that while without question Eircell and Esat currently have a cartel, at least there is that little bit of competition.

As soon as Meteor has a decent network and decent prices, it'll offer another chance to move from bad service - even though I'd always prefer to use an Irish company, given the choice. An Irish company, but not an arrogant Irish company.

It wouldn't have been a biggie for Eircell to have said "ok, you can have an upgrade now, but your *next* upgrade date won't be until January 2003, as it would have been if you hadn't had an upgrade now". I would have been perfectly happy with that.

As it is, they've lost one customer, and gained someone who'll tell everyone about the bad experience of dealing with Eircell. Not a great bargain, in exchange for what would have been a tiny bending of the rules, eh?

Turner

yes some1 did post with my log in but i dont give a fupp.

And still Eircell is better than Esat. (well Ready to go anyway. Thats who i worked for and while they had their offices in dublin it was very cat and mouse. they moved to dundalk last year and Rtg is now being run in the same manner that Eirtime is. hence less probs with sms and go cards)

Ive spoken to people who worked for esat and apparently all theyre equipment and network fell of the back of a huge preverbial lorry. As for their mobile phone licence I wont even start. I'll leave that up to the tribunal.

Chief....

As my cookie hacker would say, "Eircell rocksers your boxers"

g'damn whippersnappers.

Fand

I don't care about proverbial lorries, I care about customer service. And any customer of *mine* who asks me what mobile service to use won't be told Eircell; they may roxer one's boxers, but they don't think the customer's right, they think their rules are right.

Have you noticed the way this is happening with the death of the 'celtic tiger"? As Tiggy dies, Ireland is retiring back into the 1950s, where customers could eff off, service could be as bad as you like, the roads were never mended, the buses were always late, and those who didnm't like it were welcome to the emigration boat.

Stephen

I hear eircell/vodafone are slashing 40% from the retailer's mark-up on the RTG top-up cards.

<unts

Lump

I think that ESAT are better, but maybe thats just me.



John

buzz

Hmm.....
Im gonna go with Esat, cus I have experience in telling people how **** Eircell is, hence I work in a phone shop!

I work for Cellular world, and the amount of abuse I get daily is not good! But I will always advise people on going with an esat phone. cus things like the poxy charge from mobile to other network, jeasus, it costs less on a ready to go, than a bill phone with eircell!!!

If people are rejected from a contract, its because of there residential status, not cus of there credit history. What I mean by residential status is, do they live at home, or in a flat. If they live in a flat, they have to of been living there for 3 years +... and there is a few different reasons.

Originally posted by Fand
So I'm about to change to Esat.

But Fand, they should of given U a replacement phone while urs is being serviced. If ye wanna get an esat phone, pm me, and Ill sort ye out!

Pimp Ninja

Fand let me help you

Go into the shop where you got it.

Tell them that you want a replacement phone or another phone while yours is being repaired. They will want to talk to Eircell probably. Then tell them that if you dont get a replacement phone that you will change over to their competition.

Remark how you have been with them since the 088 days. and make sure that there is somebody in the store at the same time.

Fand

Pimp, that's what I did. They politely told me to go for a walk. Which is what I intend to do. Over the road to the Esat store.

Love the Newbie Confusion Device. Heh!

Das Kitty

The only problem I have with Esat is the issue of coverage, if you're indoors at the time it can drop quite easily. I haven't known the problem to exist in Dublin, but it happens in areas of Galway and Limerick for sure.

Lump

As far as coverage goes, in Kilkenny in the Night clubs I always have 4 bars on the signal, where as my friends normally have no coverage.



John

Fand

Zoe in Carphone Warehouse in Henry Street - the first persion I've found who is actually on the customer's side - seems to have got me a loan phone; I'll know on Thursday.

Went into the CW and found that the repair section was closed; the people downstairs in the shop aren't allowed to give out loan phones themselves... Zoe phoned their "customer care" people who somewhat reluctantly pulled out a few stops.

The whole experience, though, has reminded me of those 1980s handbooks about customer relationships, which said that companies should aim for a customer to have a "delightful" experience with them. This whole nonsense has been a delightless experience.

It should have been so simple: phone breaks, get loan of new phone, or slightly early upgrade, get old phone mended, end of story.

I'm staying with Eircell until January - can't bear to give them two months' rent for free - and then I'm off to Esat tra-la.

Lord Khan

damn .... least awful service ... that would be a step up in ireland.

I remember the old days ... when we had them big boxes on wheels which you'd tow behind your cars, that we really phone boxes on wheels that you'd steal so you could make calls from anywhere ... or at least as long as the wiring didn't stretch too far.