eircom Connection Charge

Hi all

After 3 months from submitting my order for a telephone service (line only) from eircom, it was finally connected last week!

2 months ago I received a letter from eircom stating that I owed EUR130 as a connection charge - despite there being no phone line remember. So I went on to their very helpful website and made an online complaint. I got an automatic email back with a reference number, stating that all complaints are usually dealt with in 10 days - that was 2 months ago and I have heard nothing.

Anyways, as I said I eventually got connected last week, and low and behold, another letter from eircom arrived demading €63.49 now with the remaining €66.50 to be charged on my first account.

My complaint here is that when I ordered the service online, it quite clearly stated that there was no connection charge. I had a look at their site this morning and they have changed it to say that in order to avail of the free connection, "all line work is completely in place and there has been previous service at the address. " This was definitely not stated when I ordered 3 months ago.

Has anyone else had similar experiences with eircom?

I phoned to arrange a connection to my new house about six weeks ago to be told that as it was a new Estate that they were currently setting in the lines and if I waited a couple of weeks or so that there would be no connection fee.

I phoned last week and spoke with an empty vessel type individual who knew nothing - did not know when the lines would be finished - did not know if they were even started - did not know anything, so I gave up.

Phoned again yesterday, spoke to a nice helpful girl who told me that the lines were now connected and that my connection would be free, although it would not be connected until 23rd April. That suits me fine.

It was made clear at all times however, if all line work was not in place that there would be the €121 connection fee.

Generally eircom's line promotions of free connection are for in-situ connections.
If you want to be sure of what was in place when you ordered go to the pricing section of the eircom website and access the schemes (click pricing at the top, and then telecommunications schemes...can't post link as flash site). Details of all past, current and pending charges including promotions are there