Almost two-thirds of Irish broadband customers aren’t aware of the early exit fees tied in to their contracts. According to a report by independent broadband comparison website uSwitch.ie, 63% of survey respondents said they were unaware of the charges involved in severing their contracts, with panalties in some cases going as high as €250.
The survey also found that 41% said they were completely unaware of early exit charges and a fifth (22%) know that there is a penalty, but are unsure of the amount. According to uSwitch, this lack of clarity could be costing consumers dear. Only 7% said they knew exactly what charges they would have to pay to end their contract.
Seven out of the nine broadband providers named in the study (UPC, Vodafone, eircom, Imagine, Sky, Smart Telecom, UTV Connect, Magnet and Digiweb) currently charge early exit fees, with penalties ranging from no charge to €250 for eircom’s eFibre Advanced package. Only Magnet and Sky currently don’t charge a penalty.
Eoin Clarke, head of uSwitch.ie, said: "There are some great packages and deals available, but failure to understand things such as early exit penalties could end up costing you dearly.
"The key thing is to arm yourselves with all the facts before you sign on the dotted line. However, we would urge broadband providers to play their part too, and to ensure that they make these charges as clear and transparent as possible so that consumers don’t get caught unaware."
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