Eircom is no longer required to make CD versions of telephone directories available to users as the designated universal service provider following a decision issued today by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
Eircom was required to make CD-Rom versions of telephone directories commercially available and to update these annually as part of the Universal Service Obligations imposed by ComReg in July 2003.
Eircom requested that ComReg remove this requirement and it demonstrated to the regulator that there was a virtual absence of consumer demand for the product.
The low demand was attributed to the availability of free web-based directory searches. As well as this there was an alternative commercially available CD-Rom marketeted in Ireland.
“In considering the Eircom request,” ComReg chairperson Isolde Goggin explained, “ComReg took into account the position of consumers who might wish to avail of a commercially available CD directory.
“ComReg is satisfied that those end-users who require such facilities can use the commercial offering available, or alternatively they could use one of the free online telephone directory services. In addition, the requirement on Eircom to provide directory enquiry services free of charge for people who may be unable to use the printed directory because of a disability is unaffected by today’s decision,” Goggin said.
By John Kennedy
