The apparatchiks always on winning side

Th column below appears in this week's INM Irish regional newspapers.

By Michael Commane
Just 12 months ago I received a letter from my telehone provider with information on 'important changes to services'.

At the end of the page there is a short paragraph: "We are also aligning our daytime peak hours to 7am - 7pm; bringing us in line with other phone providers; simplifying our call rates by blending our evening and weekend call rates and changing the call set up charge to 6.5c.".

That's a direct quote from a letter dated July 21, 2011.

Last month I received another letter from my telephone provider dated July 4, 2012.

Here's a quote from the latest letter: "On 1 August 2012 our call rates will change and we will also simplify them by bledning our peak, evening and weekend rates. The call set up fee will also change to 7c."

I find all this remarkably odd. Just 12 months ago they told me that they were bringing their customers in line with other phone providers and blending evening and weekend calls. Have they decided there is little point in 'being in line' with other providers? Did their plans and policy not work?

Note the word 'blending'. It even has a gentle sound to it, elements of onomatopoeia. It sounds positive as if the telephone provider really has me at heart.

And now they are telling me that they have scrapped all of what they were introducing just a short 12 months ago and will be charging the same price for calls, whatever time you call.

For me that means that I will now be paying full day-time rates during the 24 hour period. The price of a call made between 7pm and 7am is changing from 1.3c to 4c - the same as the day-time rate.

That's an increase of over than 300 per cent. Is there any regulator out there who might think of examining such an increase and have a word in the ear of the telephone provider? Is there any user lobby, any watchdog of any shape or form, who is going to ask questions, object, say a gentle word about such a draconian increase?

Imagine the outcry if Government increased VAT by over 300 per cent, or if Irish Rail increased its fares by over 300 per cent.

A customer with my telephone provider can buy different packages. The new increases do not apply to the packages - at least not yet.

And the idea of paying seven cent for call 'set up' seems simple exploitation. It means if I spend just two seconds on the phone I pay the seven cent set up charge.

If you do not have a laser or credit card too bad. Then you have to pay an extra €3.75 per monthly bill. That's €45 per year. Almost half the current household tax and not a word of complaint from anyone.

We all know to our cost that no-one was keeping an eye on the banks. We were fooled and lulled into a fool's paradise. But who is keeping an eye on our telephone operators?

And by the way, make sure never to call directory enquiries. My telephone provider charges a minimum of €2.50 to call 11850 and €1.78 to call 11860.
No doubt, telephone books are coming to their sell by date. So make sure to keep one in your house. If you are looking for a number check it on the internet if you have internet connectivity.

There might well be readers who will say that I have little to worry about or that I am always ranting and giving out. Fine. But maybe it's the way of the world but the power of the strong over the weak is something I find difficult to take.

The big organisations, whatever they do or represent seem to have the ability and power to crush the small individual person.

And it seems we all sign into it and take it on the chin. And then the craven apparatchiks, who always manage to be on the side of the prevailing wind. Sad and pathetic, dangerous too. And they turn up in every organisation, clerical and lay.

I suppose they would like us all to 'blend' into conformity and accept the 'ways of the world'.

The Gospels have a lot to say on all this.