eir announces shorter contracts and new payment options
Mark Whelan
Staff Writer

eir has announced a range of changes to its pricing structure and contract length, in a move that is likely to go down well with customers.

From now, if you sign up for a broadband and home phone deal with eir, you’ll only have to commit to a 12-month contract. And you’ll also be given the choice of paying a flat fee every month, as opposed to a discounted fee for a few months and then a more expensive, standard fee for the remainder of your contract.

Flat monthly bills

Earlier this year, the ESRI’s Price Lab report confirmed something we’ve all known for some time – broadband bundles are nigh-on impossible to compare with one another. And much of the confusion stems from the way broadband providers structure their pricing for new customers.

If you sign up to a new deal with any of the main broadband providers, you’ll be offered a big discount on your bill for the first few months of your new contract. Which is great and all, but after those first few months, you’ll be bumped up to a standard price overnight. And that can make monthly budgeting pretty tough.

Well, eir are now offering new customers the choice of paying the usual way – a discounted price for the first few months, followed by a standard monthly price – or paying the same amount every month. Under the new system, discounts will be spread equally across the entire contract so your bill will always be about the same.

Shorter contracts

Nobody likes long contracts, do they? Well, big companies do. But the likes of you and I don’t. We like to have the freedom to abandon ship and sign up to a new, better offer if it becomes available.

The folks at eir seem to be well aware of this and are now offering 12-month contracts to their dual play (that’s broadband and home phone) customers. That’s a 6-month reduction in commitment time being asked of customers, and it’s likely to go down well with those who just aren’t ready to commit to a deal for more than a year.

€50 cashback and free eir Sport

eir has three dual play deals on offer at the moment, and they’re all available through bonkers.ie. And, they all come with €50 cashback and free eir Sport.

eir’s International & Fibre deal comes with 100 Mb broadband and unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in Ireland, the UK and over 40 international destinations and costs €35 for the first 3 months, rising to €75 after that. If you go for the monthly flat fee option, you bill will be €65 a month.

The provider’s Superfast Broadband, Unlimited Mobile & UK Calls deal comes with 100 Mb broadband and unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in Ireland and the UK. It costs €30 a month for three months, rising to €70 after that. So, €60 a month over the course of the contract with the flat fee option.

And finally, eir’s Superfast broadband & Off-Peak Mobile Calls deal includes 100 Mb broadband and unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in Ireland between the hours of 7pm and 7am and on weekends. It costs €45 a month for the first three months and €62 a month from then on. If you opt for a flat monthly fee, your bill will be €57.75 a month.

Flexibility and flat bills

eir’s new, shorter contracts and flat fee payment options are likely to be welcomed by customers seeking more freedom and flexibility with their broadband contracts.

And with €50 cashback and fee eir Sport available, the provider’s dual play deals will be highly sought-after in the busy winter period.