THE DAYS BEFORE EIR
with Eircom or Telecom Éireann and was at one stage advised that they they no longer wanted me as a customer as I complained too much about the quality of service and as a result I became an original member of IrelandOffline. I was disconnected by Eircom even though my employer in the US required me to have Internet access, Not long after moving to an alternative service provider I received a letter advising me that as I was abusing the service I would be disconnected immediately and this lead me to become a founding member of IrelandOffline [I was not an organiser but was active].
IrelandOffline was formed in response to the termination, by the ISP known now as BT Ireland, of an unlimited dialup product. The product “Surf no limits” was the only flat-rate internet access at the time, and it’s termination was too drastic a milestone in Ireland’s internet access progress, for many to ignore. IrelandOffline was formed to address the worsening trends, by campaigning industry, and government alike, for better internet access services (at a time when broadband was beginning to become mainstream in most developed countries).
I have lived on Bolton Street for more than thirty years and as long as I can remember this horrible phone kiosk has been here until it was removed to be replaced by something that was better but not much better. I do not ever remember seeing anyone actually use the kiosk to make a phone call but some locals found alternative uses that I never investigate. A long time ago, after locking myself out off my apartment, I did try to use the phone but discovered that there was no handset.
Telecom Éireann was an Irish state-owned telecommunications company that operated from 1983 to 1999. Prior to then a telephone and postal service was provided by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs (known as “P and T” or “P⁊Ꞇ”, as part of the civil service. Telecom Éireann was established by the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983; its full formal title was “Bord Telecom Éireann or, in the English language, The Irish Telecommunications Board”.
Telecom ÉirTeann was privatised in 1999 and renamed as Eircom plc. It was later split into Eircell 2000 plc (Eircell), the mobile networks business, and Eircom, the fixed-line business which also inherited other minor divisions, such as the Eirpage pager system and the Telecom retail arm. Eircell was sold to Vodafone in May 2001, and later changed its name to the dual-brand Eircell Vodafone before becoming Vodafone Ireland.
Eircom Limited, trading as Eir is currently is now incorporated in Jersey.
Eir is currently majority owned by Xavier Niel’s Iliad SA and his Paris-based NJJ Telecom Europe investment fund. The group includes French telecommunications provider Free and Iliad Italia.
Eir operates a wholesale fixed-line network through its Open Eir unit, providing copper and fibre based access products to a wide range of Irish telecommunications companies. Its services include next generation access products, such as FTTH, FTTC (VDSL) and legacy copper based services, including ADSL and classic digital circuit switched products like PSTN and ISDN. It also offers a range of legacy leased line services.
The company’s retail division markets these services directly to homes and businesses, and includes value added services like Eir TV and voice over broadband for home users and a wide range of digital services tailored to business customers.
Eir operates a national mobile network both under its own Eir brand and GoMo, a value-focused, online-only sub-brand. The network provides 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G services and ancillary services such as WiFi Calling and VoLTE.
