Mobile phone rip-off - Consumers deserve to be protected

The revenue of mobile phone firm O2 Ireland has jumped 13% in the past year and the company’s gross profits are up by around 9%, while Irish consumers are being ripped off.

We have already had plenty of warning, yet the Department of Communications seems to be sublimely indifferent to the situation, even though Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mícheál Martin is moving to tackle the problems within his ambit with some determination.

Last December, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), announced that Irish mobile phone prices were more than a third higher than the European average. It recommended to the European Commission that O2 and Vodafone - who together control about 91% of the Irish mobile phone market -should be compelled to open up their networks so that outside competitors could lease time off them in order to ensure more competition in the Irish market.