Speaking of Telecom Eireann, it is not only rival telecoms groups which have reason to be irate at the group's latest marketing campaign. The State's new army of shareholders may feel very pleased with itself over the rise in the share price since flotation but, as customers, they are liable to be hit in the pocket by the recently introduced changes in the company's charging structure.

Those hardest hit will be customers whose bills largely feature single unit calls, particularly short local calls. The price of these calls is set to rise by almost 4.5 per cent . . . now you won't hear that figure mentioned in any marketing campaign.