No protests about broadband, tv, internet price increases

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

Michael Commane

Private or public? Which is better? Are things better in State ownership or does the private sector manage matters better.

Before the financial crisis the sacred mantra was that private is best. In the heady days of the Celtic Tiger the banking world reigned supreme and bankers were classed close to semi-divine.

Indeed, changes have taken place but in spite of all the catastrophe, the ‘markets’ still decide a hell of a lot of what happens.

During the recent water demonstrations strong feelings were expressed that Irish Water must remain in the hands of the State. It would be an unwise politician who would suggest that Irish Water should be sold off to the highest bidder.

Then again, would anyone have dared say 20 or 30 years ago that the St Columba and St Flannan aircraft would be part of the British Airways fleet?

On January 19 my broadband experienced some down time. It meant both my landline and internet services were not working. I phoned my provider, a large international company, who were vague in explaining to me whether it was just a problem with me or whether they had an issue with the area. I was led to believe that it was just my house. They suggested I turn a few switches on and off. I did that and back it came.

Later in the evening a neighbour called, asking if I had difficulty with my broadband as they were experiencing difficulty. And then another neighbour told me that the previous evening their broadband was not working.

All three of us are with the same provider so clearly there was a problem. When I called them asking for a refund for loss of service they explained that in order to obtain a refund one had to be an entire day without a connection.

In all, I’d say, I spent between 40 and 50 minutes between ‘holding’ on the phone and explaining my story to a member of the company’s customer services’ team.

Some days later I received a letter from my broadband provider informing me that they were adding €4 per month for the provision of services. The new fees would come into effect on February 1. And that all happened in spite of the fact that I was in a contractual agreement with them until the end of March. And if I break the contract of course they charge a punitive fee.

The following day, Tuesday 20, I phoned the Department of Social Protection seeking information about an aspect of PRSI.

The phone was answered within 30 seconds and I had a full answer to my question within two minutes. They also told me that they would post me out the relevant form, which I received the following day.

There was simply no competition between State and private. Of course that is just one isolated case and that’s not the way it always works and I know that as well as anyone else.

At this stage the world and its mother knows all about the job the banking regulator did for the customer before the banking crisis.

What I’d like to know is who is now regulative the myriad private companies and where can the little customer like me go to find help, protection and solace?

Did you know for instance that if you agree on a year-long contract with a provider the day the contract ends you revert to top-dollar fees and of course there will not be a whisper from the company telling you that you are back paying full price.

And are there ever any demos when the TV, broadband and phone company suppliers hike up their charges? I never see or hear them.