UPC Services To Increase By Twice The Charge Of Irish Water

Folks it is not even April 1st; the day people are most wont to play practical jokes on each other, but UPC appear to have brought that date slightly forward.

Most of Thurles residents returned home weary from their labours today to find the following email waiting in their Inboxes. (Actual Account Number & Name hereunder withheld.)

CONTRACT CHANGES
The price of your UPC Service is going up so we can keep giving you the best.
Account Number: XXXX
Dear Mr Smith,
We’re writing to inform you that the price of your UPC service will go up by €6.00 a month from 1st February 2015 and will be reflected in your next bill. While a price rise is never welcome, it means that we can bring you even more of the best value and most exciting entertainment in 2015.
Some of our Home Phone call rates will increase from 3 March 2015. You can find more details on these changes in the link below.
To find out more about these changes visit our website at http://www.upc.ie/pricechanges
We really hope you want to continue enjoying all the great value entertainment you get from us. But if you wish you can downgrade or cancel your service within 30 days of receipt of this notice without any penalty or cancellation fee.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued custom and for selecting UPC.

Kind regards
Stephen Ruschitzko
Customer Care Director

Now having read this email you will be rushing to return to the link  http://www.upc.ie/pricechanges, “To find out more about these changes.” But prepare yourself; the link is returned as ‘Timed Out’ in many areas of Thurles; at least it was as I go to print, but refresh a couple of times and you may be lucky. No doubt this €6.00 increase will assist in their efforts to “bring you even more of the best value.”

Of course you could get totally rid of their TV Service for a once off initial fee of between €99.00 (On-line) or €120.00 (Purchased Locally) by purchasing an Ariva 150 Combo Box which combines Irish Terrestrial Channels and Satellite Channels, leaving you with one less future bill to pay.

In the meanwhile do give UPC a call to their Loyalty Department on Tel: 061 272190 and thank them for increasing your monthly charges, keeping in mind that this company now charges €12.50 if you pay your account later than 10 days after an invoice has been issued.  Thank them also for leaving you without Internet access in some areas of Thurles for 6.5 days in December 2014 and after their shoddy repairs, only partial access for a further 3 days, during the same period. Don’t forget to say ‘thanks you’ also for charging €37.00 per month to their long term customers, for Sky Sports; while offering all new customers the same channel for just €1.00.

Remember this new €6.00 monthly increase or €72.00 per year (Almost the cost of an Ariva 150 Combo Box) is not to glean extra profit for the company; it is because they want to “keep giving you the best.”

No wonder Alex White TD is ‘holding off ‘ on the controversial €160.00 broadcasting charges, which were originally to be introduced this month on all eligible households, regardless of whether they owned a TV.

In the meanwhile ask your employer for an immediate increase in salary and explain why; your employer will fully understand your request.