THE massive hype about the ending of the 192 Director Inquiries telephone service should not be allowed to obscure important basic facts.
There is now a confusing array of 'choice,' with tariffs that are difficult to understand, let alone compare.
Several of the companies concerned operate from foreign call centres, located thousands of miles away, in order to maximise profits by exploiting cheap labour and thereby create service delivery problems due to poor local knowledge.
Given that at one time, in the days of a publicly-owned corporation, this service was free to customers, it is clear that under the privatised regimes the interests of the customers are subjugated to those of big business.
ROGER BANNISTER, UNISON National Executive Council (Personal Capacity), Kirkby, Merseyside.
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