Irish telephone firms fined for 'considerable' delays in transfer of landline numbers

Vodafone, Eircom and Virgin Media did not transfer or activate landline services in the shortest possible time

The three Irish telephone companies did not switch over the landline numbers until the customer filed a complaint with ComReg. File picture

Three Irish telephone companies have made settlements totalling €17,000 with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) this year after they were found to have breached EU law by delaying the switchover of landline numbers.

In different time periods between 2023 and 2026, Vodafone Ireland, Eircom Limited and Virgin Media Ireland Limited were found to have not transferred or activated landline services for their customers within the shortest possible time, or within one day of the agreement.

This is a legal requirement under the EU's Electronic Communications Code regulations introduced in September 2022.

Between 1 June 2023 and 31 December 2024, ComReg investigators found Vodafone customers had experienced difficulty and considerable delay, lasting several weeks, in porting or transferring their previous landline number after they switched their provider to Vodafone. 

They had received a service on a temporary landline number and not on the original number they had requested to be ported, and their number did not port until ComReg initiated enforcement proceedings.

The same delay was experienced by certain Eircom customers between 1 December 2023 and 31 December 2024, and by Virgin Media customers between 1 May 2024 and 19 August 2025: neither company remedied the situation until the customer filed a complaint with ComReg.

After engaging with the regulatory authority, all three companies agreed to ensure that their agents were adequately trained to collect and process the necessary information — that is, the account holder's universal account number, circuit reference numbers or telephone number — to port a customer’s number. 

They said they would co-operate in good faith with transferring providers to ensure that ports are activated within the shortest possible time and within one working day of a concluded agreement to port a number.

Between May and October of this year, Vodafone paid a penalty of €4,000, Eircom Limited paid a penalty of €3,000, and Virgin Media agreed to pay a penalty of €10,000. All three also contributed to ComReg’s legal costs.

District court proceedings in each case were struck out after settlements between the parties were reached.