Petition to eMinister, Communications Minister and ODTR launched

eircomtribunal

Now that things seem to start moving with flat rate Internet access, let us make sure there will be big leaps rather than small steps.

Sign the petition at www.eircomtribunal.com/counterstrike_a1_petition.html

Spread the word!


Peter


And thanks to all for the massive support so far.

Mr.M

i have just filled in my name and submitted it and tommorow i will go around to a few forums and spread the word.

Tellox

sent, and sent around the link too..

dahamsta

Peter, you need to put a privacy policy up there, most particularly a guarantee that you won't use the email addresses for marketing purposes or redistribute them. I know it sounds bitchy, but when you get right down to it we have no guarantee that you haven't just set up EircomTribunal.com as a spamtrap. Course, a privacy policy isn't a guarantee either, but at least we can sue your ass if we catch you.

adam

LoBo

signed up

Good idea about the privacy policy, though.

Also in the thank you page could you show the email addresses it was sent to for our records?

Colm

eircomtribunal

Thanks for the advice. Did not cross our minds.

A privacy statement is up and the thank-you-page now states the email addresses the petition has been sent to.

Peter

SkepticOne

Done.

LoBo

ok, looks better now. Two more suggestions: Firstly, could you send a copy of the email to the email address supplied so we can see what the email looks like (and keep a record) - eg, I'm wondering if you send it as if it was from me (spoof From: header) or if you send it from yourselves saying "My Name" with email "My Email" would like to say blabla. Secondly, clicking submit while having name and email address as blanks still brings you to the thank you page. I presume it doesn't send off a blank email addy, but you should probably put in some checks for blank fields and ask the user to fill them in before submitting.

Thanks

dahamsta

Thanks guys. You might also want to make the TEXTAREA readonly or disabled, just for neatness.

adam /_not_ a neatness freak

Gaz

Done !

cgarvey

Originally posted by dahamsta
Thanks guys. You might also want to make the TEXTAREA readonly or disabled, just for neatness.

Think the idea is to be able to modify the text sent, if you want to.

.cg

Xterminator

OK Ive fired it off too.
I'm not expectiing too much response tho

X

melachi

signed

pencil

Done.

eircomtribunal

Originally posted by LoBo
Firstly, could you send a copy of the email to the email address supplied so we can see what the email looks like

We have now modified the script to do just that. Thanks for the feedback, and if you haven't taken part already, please go to www.eircomtribunal.com and click on petition -- the more people take part, the more effective it will be!

- Peter

Mr E

Signed.

Suggestion.....

All emails have a standard subject line: "Petition". They can be easily filtered into the trash by the people at the end of those addresses. Don't make it that easy for them! Perhaps add an optional subject field to counter this.

Oh, and congrats on collecting all those phone numbers and email addresses! You've definitely put alot of work into this project......

- Dave.

Fallschirmjager

done and i bet it will be more then the vaunted 1000 people who are only interested...

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

eircomtribunal

Originally posted by TmB
They can be easily filtered into the trash by the people at the end of those addresses. Don't make it that easy for them!

- Dave.

As far as I know at least the ODTR is obliged to respond to the senders of the petition.

Peter

pork99

just signed that

when will we know how many people have signed and what response?

Yoda

I was happy to sign the petition, but can I ask that the currency be referred to correctly?

It is not proper format to say that something costs "Euro 30". In the first place the currency name isn't supposed to be capitalized any more than dollar or pound or ruble is. You wouldn't say something costs "Dollar 30" or "Pound 30".

The proper syntax is to say "€30" or "EUR 30" (if you wish to use a currency sign; cf. "$30", "USD 30", "£30", "GBP 30"). Otherwise you can easily write "30 euros" -- making sure, of course, that you use the plural form with -s. (The European Commission says that "euros" should be used except in legislation even though the pinheads in RTÉ keep vomiting forth bad grammar at us, grumble, grumble, rant, rant.

Please do consider editing the document with regard to this. Ta.

yossarin

done.

i also changed Euro XX to XX Euros

Yoda

"XX euros", grrrr. Capitalize the continent, not the currency!

Would that RTÉ were as compliant as you. :-)
The FAQ should be looked at with regard to the currency issue.

eircomtribunal

Originally posted by pork99
just signed that

when will we know how many people have signed and what response?

Patience please...it's only just started.

In the meantime ask your local TD to support the petition. The list of TD contact addresses will be completed today. There's a link to it on the thank-you-page and in the navigation bar.

Peter

Rags

Just signed it, great job on the website btw. Best one by far

timod

Dear Tim,

I refer to your email regarding the pricing of internet access.

I share your interest in having low-cost internet access in Ireland, both
on the basis of dial-up access and through technologies such as DSL.

The Government have put in place substantial funding under the National
Development Plan to facilitate the rollout of broadband networks, including
DSL, and substantial progress is being made as a result. In addition the
Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation has played an
important role in relation to the unbundling of local loop facilities to
enable the development of DSL on a competitive basis. Competition among
operators will help to bring prices down and improve quality of service..

As regards dial-up access on a flat-rate basis, I am pleased to see
interest among operators now in making available such a service. I
understand that the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation
is closely involved in the negotiations between Eircom and the other
operators and the Director's powers under the Interconnection Regulations
are available to her if needed. I look forward to a successful conclusion
to these negotiations.

As regards your proposals that I set prices for FRIACO and DSL and prevent
Eircom from offering retail services for a period, I do not have to power
to take such steps. It is important to allow commercial negotiations among
the operators to proceed to conclusion, facilitated as appropriate by the
ODTR. The regulatory framework includes provisions aimed at preventing
anti-competitive behaviour and the ODTR is in a position to apply the
framework as it considers necessary in the interests of promoting
competition and consumer benefit.

Your sincerely,
Mary Hanafin T.D.
Government Chief Whip
Minister of State with reponsibility for the Information Society

PiE

Aye, just got that email too. Typical shift-the-responsibilty answer.

So how many people signed it?

Mr E

Got a boilerplate response from Mary Hanafin's office regarding EircomTribunal's petition. Not sure if this was posted before (I searched, but couldn't find it).

Dear xxxx,

I refer to your email regarding the pricing of internet access.

I share your interest in having low-cost internet access in Ireland, both
on the basis of dial-up access and through technologies such as DSL.

The Government have put in place substantial funding under the National
Development Plan to facilitate the rollout of broadband networks, including
DSL, and substantial progress is being made as a result. In addition the
Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation has played an
important role in relation to the unbundling of local loop facilities to
enable the development of DSL on a competitive basis. Competition among
operators will help to bring prices down and improve quality of service...

As regards dial-up access on a flat-rate basis, I am pleased to see
interest among operators now in making available such a service. I
understand that the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation
is closely involved in the negotiations between Eircom and the other
operators and the Director's powers under the Interconnection Regulations
are available to her if needed. I look forward to a successful conclusion
to these negotiations.

As regards your proposals that I set prices for FRIACO and DSL and prevent
Eircom from offering retail services for a period, I do not have to power
to take such steps. It is important to allow commercial negotiations among
the operators to proceed to conclusion, facilitated as appropriate by the
ODTR. The regulatory framework includes provisions aimed at preventing
anti-competitive behaviour and the ODTR is in a position to apply the
framework as it considers necessary in the interests of promoting
competition and consumer benefit.

Your sincerely,
Mary Hanafin T.D.
Government Chief Whip
Minister of State with reponsibility for the Information Society

Mr E

Apologies.... just spotted Timod's post about this in another thread.

(Boards is running like a dog for me today..... couldn't check all active threads)

- Dave.

yellum

When did you make contact with Mary Hanafins office ? Did you write a letter or email her ?

Mr E

It was via the petition here: http://www.eircomtribunal.com/counterstrike_a1_petition.html

- Dave.