NCA guide to phones, TV and broadband
Introduction
Phones, the Internet and television are all key services nowadays. Many of these markets have been deregulated in recent years, so there is a wide range of choices for consumers shopping around for the best value.
Before signing up for any service contract, always read the "small print" - the terms and conditions.
These spell out your rights and obligations, including charges you may have to pay when using your account - or sometimes even when you are terminating it.
If there are any clauses you don't understand, ask the business to explain them before signing up.
Many of these new technologies may be cutting edge - but that can mean teething problems too, and sometimes poor service.
Find out more about your consumer rights and phones, TV and broadband services below.
Mobile phone handsets
When signing up for a mobile phone service, your contract is with the mobile operator.
But if you buy a mobile phone handset from a phone shop and it turns out to be faulty, under consumer law it's up to the shop to sort out your problem. In this situation your contract is with the shop - not the manufacturer or the mobile phone network.
Faulty phones
If the product is faulty you are entitled to a repair, replacement or a refund. If the shop offers to repair a faulty phone, the repair should be permanent. If they say the phone isn't repairable, you are entitled to a replacement or a refund.
If you are willing to let the shop repair the phone, you should confirm this in writing - but add the condition that if there are any other problems with the phone you reserve your right to reject it and claim a replacement or a full refund.
You should bring this statement to the attention of the seller and keep a copy of it in case you need to rely on it later should you take the matter to the Small Claims Court.
Mobile phone operators
When shopping around for a mobile phone operator, start by deciding on which of the two main types of contract suits you best:
- "Bill pay", where you receive a monthly bill for calls after you've made them
- "Pre-pay", where you buy call credit or "top-up" in advance in order to make calls.
Within both these types of contract there are also many variations, so the next step is to estimate your usage patterns for a typical month.
For example, work out how many calls you'd make to other mobile phones, how many to landlines, how many SMS messages you're likely to send, how many calls you would probably make if abroad on holiday, and so on.
Then use a price comparison website such as Callcosts.ie to calculate the likely prices if you were using different packages. Some of these sites have an online calculator which you can use to add up charges such as:
- Connection charges
- Monthly rental fees
- Call costs
- Disconnection and reconnection charges
- International roaming charges
Remember, though, that price isn't the only factor in getting good value. For example, find out about the operator's reliability, its network coverage, and what roaming agreements it has.
Ask other people you know if they use the operator and what they think of the service.
In the terms and conditions, check whether there is a penalty for ending the contract early. Also find out whether the company can suspend a pre-pay account if you don't top up your credit after so many months or don't make any calls in that time.
Remember that there are fairly easy and quick procedures for consumers to switch from one phone company to another, whether this is for your mobile or your line at home, and you are allowed to keep your old number.
Check your contractual obligations to your existing operator before deciding to switch. If you are switching mobile operator, remember too that you may need to upgrade your handset, for example when moving from a 2G to a 3G service.
Landlines
Consumers have a wide variety of companies to choose from for their home telephone line. Eircom is responsible for maintaining the national phone network, but you can switch some or all of your phone services between companies.
For example you can:
- Move your line rental and call costs to one new phone company. This is called "single billing", and means you get just one bill from the new company for all your telephone service requirements
- Use a service offering discounts for some types of call (such as international calls). With "carrier pre-selection" (CPS) you opt in advance for these calls to be carried by a particular operator. Whenever you make this type of call, you get billed separately by this discount service
- "Carrier select"is similar, but you opt for discount on a call-by-call basis by dialling a special five-digit code before the number you want. This code bypasses your normal telephone service provider for that call only, and you are billed by the "carrier select" company for that particular call.
The switching process involves signing a consent form, or confirming your consent over the phone. If you are switching your line, remember that there is no physical work involved - nobody has to call at your house.
If there is a fault on your line, Eircom will still be responsible for fixing it - contact your new phone company and they will take it from there.
Internet telephony
Besides switching between these phone operators, another option is to use the Internet for your phone calls.
This has various names, such as "VoIP" or "internet telephony". One type of set -up uses your computer, a microphone and speakers, and your broadband connection. Another type uses a specialised handset and a broadband or wireless connection.
Internet service providers
Today's generation of internet users expect fast access, fast download speeds and a service that is "always-on". That means broadband, but there are a wide range of packages and technologies available.
When comparing internet service providers (ISPs), think about how you are likely to be using the Internet - whether it is mainly at off-peak times or you are a heavy user.
Then think about which type of pricing model will suit you best. The four main models are:
- A "subscription free" ("Pay as you go") tariff model. You only pay call charges for connecting to your ISP, and these are similar to the local call rate for a normal voice call. But technical support is often charged at quite high rates. So this option suits if you only require occasional access and you don't need much technical support
- A "partial flat rate" option, where call costs outside peak times and/or a set amount of hours are included in your subscription charge, but if you connect at peak times you are then charged at a cents per minute rate
- A "full flat rate" option. You pay a fixed amount each month, but this includes all your call costs for connecting to the Internet. This option may suit you if you spend a long time online, particularly at peak times. Some ISPs operate a "fair use" or "acceptable use" policy - if you are downloading huge amounts of data around the clock, they may intervene and caution you. Check if this is in the terms and conditions
- Broadband tariff options generally involve a fixed monthly charge, including a download allowance for that month. If you exceed your download allowance you are charged for each additional megabyte of data you download
After checking the tariff structures and comparing prices, consider other factors that may be important to you, such as speed and performance.
For instance, find out whether a broadband service has a high "contention ratio". This is the maximum number of subscribers that may share the connection, and gives a rough idea of how clogged up it could get. A contention ratio of 1:1 means you are guaranteed that you are the only person using the connection, but 48:1 means up to 48 users may be sharing it at any one time.
You will also need to consider:
- Any set-up charges
- Whether you have to buy extra equipment such as a modem, or this is included in the package
- Usage limits, and extra charges if you exceed these limits on downloads and uploads
- Whether the contract is for a set period (for example 12 months), or if it's ongoing and involves a charge if you cancel
- Whether you can switch between different tariff options
- Particular services you require such as technical help or parental controls
Return to the web version of our guide to phones, TV and broadband
http://www.consumerconnect.ie/eng/Hot_Topics/Guides-to-Consumer-Law/Phones-Broadband-TV/intro.html