Cable and Wireless Watch is closed
Statement

This will, no doubt, come as a complete surprise to those who don't know me, but Cable and Wireless Watch is closed as of now [7 December 1998].

There are three reasons:

  • Poor health;
  • More responsibilities at home and at work;
  • The campaign has got as far as it ever will.
The third needs explanation. OFTEL are investigating CWC's billing system - and what a tremendous effort from a lot of people it took to force OFTEL to do what little they were set up to do - the Consumer's Association and the OFT have taken action against faulty contract terms (and they've noted CWC's inaction following their demands) and various journalists are following the issue and continue to probe CWC. Given the UK's hopelessly inadequate telecommunications regulation and consumer protection legislation - do a search for 'class action' and find out what we ought to have - Cable and Wireless Watch has done its job.

CWC haven't 'won'. Campaign or no, there would only ever have been the media and the law preventing CWC from doing whatever they please; as CWC seemingly try to ignore even the worst publicity everything comes down to individuals taking legal action against CWC if their own contract terms are broken. That said, thanks to Cable and Wireless Watch the issue has become widely known, a lot of people understand that CWC has serious problems and there are now hundreds, if not thousands, of people who know they have to contact a lawyer if push comes to shove. The issue now becomes a CUT issue; we are starting to expose the faults of the regulatory and legal systems to people who can do something about them. I can't emphasise enough that CWC are an expression of these faults.

People have suggested that the Watch is given to someone else as a going concern, but I've said no.


Mailing Lists

The debate continues, though. There are now two lists, one for CWC telephone subscribers (cwcphone) and one for CWC telephone and TV subscribers (cwctv), and you can subscribe to them or view previous postings from here.

Subscribe to cwcphone
Click to subscribe to cwcphone

Subscribe to cwctv
Click to subscribe to cwctv


CUT

Now all my campaigning effort goes towards the Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications. Its site includes a mailing list and discussion forum, and allows you to register your support for CUT's aims. I hope you will do so.

CWC issues will now be covered there, particularly in the CUT Forum, where they will be seen by a wider audience.


Download

You can download the final Cable and Wireless Watch site (1.3MB); I suggest that everything on it is still highly relevant, and will remain so for quite some time.

Text by Alastair Scott

Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications