Eircom causes anger with time-based broadband

Life

24 June 2005

Eircom has announced that it will introduce the first ‘time based’ broadband product for the Irish market called Eircom Broadband Time. The product offers 20 hours of broadband access per month at a special promotional price of EUR*19.99 per month for new customers who sign up between July and September. The cost rises to EUR*24.99 a month for those who do not avail of the special.

For customers of Broadband Time who exceed their 20-hour allowance, they will be charged 4c per minute for the additional usage.

IrelandOffline, the lobby group, has reacted angrily to Eircom’s new product with the chaiman of the group, Damien Mulley claiming that “Eircom have effectively switched the clock back for Internet users who will now return to the dark days of timing their Internet activity for fear of incurring ridiculous penalties.” 

The group claims that the product is an attempt by Eircom to “price gouge consumers new to broadband who know no better.” They claim that this will further decrease the take-up rate in this country

The charges proposed by Eircom will be capped meaning no Eircom Broadband Time user will have to pay any more than EUR*49.99 in a month.  IrelandOffline sees this as a massive rip-off.

Currently, 24/7 usage on a DSL product will cost EUR*40.  Hypothetically, an Eircom Broadband Time customer could pay more than an average broadband customer while being online less. 

“All these various pricing structures will needlessly confuse the consumer who simply wants broadband for a flat price but instead they are offered a pay per minute product for perpetuating Eircom’s revenue stream,” says Mulley.

Eircom also announced it is introducing a new promotional price for its ‘always on’ standard broadband product of EUR*29.99 per month.  This promotional price applies to first time customers who sign up before September.  The special pricing then lasts until March 2006.

 
www.irelandoffline.org *
www.eircom.ie

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