Madam, - On telephoning a friend recently I was advised by recorded message that his number had changed. I was instructed to call 11811 for his new one. Doing so I was told that all customer services representatives were busy and informed in song by a lady of American extraction that her love was my love and my love was her love and that it could take an eternity. It had seemed like one when four calls later I got through to a customer services representative who explained that she couldn't give out the number without an address.
"I'd have to look up hundreds of names. Ring 190 and they'll get it for you."
Checking the phone book I found three people who share my friend's name. If eircom can record the fact that a number has changed why don't they tell you what it's been changed to? After calling 190 twenty-five times to absolutely no response I gave up. And as An Post is off I'm delivering this by hand. Ah well, at least I've got my iodine tablets ready in case of nuclear accident. - Yours, etc.,
TOM MATHEWS, Clareville Road, Dublin 6W.