Broadband Firm Vanishes, Leaving Customer Stranded

Cork Resident Battles Non-Existent Service Provider

A Cork resident, **Aisling**, faces a daunting battle with her broadband provider, C Tek, which appears to have effectively dissolved, leaving her without service and unable to contact the company.

Provider Ceases Operations, Leaves Customer in Digital Limbo

Pre-pandemic, **Aisling** signed up with C Tek, a local Cork and Waterford area provider, for enhanced bandwidth at an affordable €15 monthly addition to her subscription. Initially satisfied, her internet speeds plummeted earlier this year, revealing a stark lack of communication channels from the company.

Attempts to reach C Tek via phone and email were met with an automated message stating they no longer offer telephone support due to migration to the National Broadband System, directing all inquiries to email. However, these emails go unanswered, and the company’s website is suspended. Invoices arrive from Stripe with a defunct return email address, leaving **Aisling** with no direct contact point while payments continue to be debited.

Investigation Reveals Company’s Likely Downfall

Background checks reveal C Tek is not listed as an approved provider by National Broadband Ireland. The company website is registered to **Chris Tyler**, also from the Cork area. **Chris Tyler**’s LinkedIn profile indicates he ceased freelance network engineering for C Tek in May 2025 and began employment with another company in December 2023. The website has been suspended since 2022 and is set to expire in mid-September 2025, suggesting the business has been struggling for some time.

The severe drop in internet speeds prevents **Aisling** from working remotely, a significant disruption.

Consumer Rights and Recourse

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) outlines that service providers have legal obligations to deliver advertised services at agreed prices. Consumers should first contact the provider in writing to detail issues and request a response within a reasonable timeframe, typically 10 working days.

To resolve her predicament, **Aisling** contacted her bank to halt payments to C Tek. Armed with documentation of her unsuccessful attempts to contact the company, the bank approved the stop payment. Since early July, she is no longer paying for a non-existent service.

Ongoing Payment Attempts and Alternative Solutions

Despite payment cessation, C Tek continues to issue reminders and invoices via Stripe and has attempted three debit transactions in the last fortnight, all blocked by **Aisling**’s bank. This may indicate automated processes as no individual from the company has made contact.

In the interim, **Aisling** has successfully identified and selected a new provider through the National Broadband Ireland website (nbi.ie) and anticipates improved internet speeds shortly.

Expert Advice for Contractual Disputes

“In the immortal words of Liam Neeson in Taken, I have a certain set of skills and was able to do some background investigation into her issue.”

—Reporter, Consumer Advocate

This situation serves as a prime example of navigating issues with non-performing service providers. Maintaining a log of all communication attempts, including dates, times, and call durations, is crucial.

Setting diary reminders to follow up on emails within 7 and 14 days is recommended. If resolution remains elusive after these efforts, customers should request a final response from the company.

Following receipt of a final response, complaints can be escalated to the relevant supervisory body. However, seeking advice from the CCPC should be the initial step.

The average broadband speed in Ireland currently stands at 45.56 Mbps, according to Ofcom reports, highlighting the significant impact of such service disruptions (Ofcom 2024).

We attempted to contact C Tek for comment through multiple channels without success prior to publication. If you have experienced similar issues with this company, please reach out.

Author Survives Stroke, Finds New Lease on Life

A sudden stroke 16 years ago changed author Cauvery Madhavan‘s life forever. Now, she embraces every opportunity after what she calls her “lucky stroke.”

Unexpected Onset

At 47, Madhavan experienced a stroke without any prior warning signs while at her home in Glengarriff, Co Cork. She was working on her third book, alone for 15 days before her husband, Prakash, arrived.

On that particular morning, Prakash, a vascular surgeon, unusually awoke early and found her slumped in the bathroom. Madhavan recalls being unable to speak and feeling paralyzed on her right side.

Husband’s Crucial Role

Prakash recognized the signs immediately. He quickly contacted the ambulance service and his colleagues at Cork University Hospital (CUH). While he packed, neighbors assisted in moving Madhavan to await the ambulance.

During the ambulance ride, she began regaining her speech, only to suffer another stroke before reaching Crookstown. According to the CDC, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds (CDC, 2024).

Recovery and Transformation

Upon arrival at CUH, she was greeted by Prakash‘s concerned colleagues. Remarkably, by the end of the day, Madhavan experienced a sudden and complete recovery.

Doctors determined a tear in her carotid artery had caused the strokes. They prescribed aspirin and addressed her undiagnosed high blood pressure. Madhavan then made drastic lifestyle changes.

She became vigilant about her salt intake and started exercising regularly. Overcoming her fear of another stroke was a significant challenge. Tingling sensations in her arms and fingertips plagued her for a year.

Madhavan credits her husband’s practicality for helping her overcome her anxiety: “If you have another stroke, you’re not going to be able to use the phone.”

Seizing the Day

Madhavan now approaches life with renewed vigor.

Since her recovery, Madhavan has walked the Camino, visited Everest Base Camp, and even won an all-Ireland medal in golf. She now embraces every opportunity.

Cauvery Madhavan‘s latest book is The Inheritance.

Irish Woman’s Take on Fake Tan: From Necessity to Choice

How cultural beauty standards shaped one woman’s view of bronzed skin.

An Irish woman reflects on her past relationship with fake tan, prompted by a healthcare worker’s concern over her paleness. This journey highlights the evolving beauty ideals and the pressures of conforming to societal norms, especially regarding skin tone.

A Vaccine and a Pale Complexion

After receiving her vaccine, the medical staff requested that the author remain seated, believing her complexion indicated possible faintness. Despite feeling fine, the woman, accustomed to her fair skin, attempted to explain. She was given water, and twenty minutes later, she was free to go. The incident echoed past health concerns regarding her lack of melanin.

The Irish Obsession with a Tan

Growing up in Ireland, Person Name found that pale skin was often linked with poor health. As a teen, she experienced concerns about her pallor from her mother. Fake tan, with its peculiar scent, became a cultural staple, replacing natural sun exposure. From age twelve, most Irish girls began using fake tan.

Initially, tan was applied before a disco, then evolved into a weekly routine. The woman recalled that the pressure was intense, and even in January, tanned ankles were a must. It was better than being seen as having an iron deficiency.

The Downside of a Bronze Glow

For the woman, fake tan was laborious, involving exfoliating, shaving, and moisturizing, followed by scrubbing to remove it. This created a feeling of obligation rather than enjoyment. She feared standing out at a junior disco with her pale legs. The popularity of tanned skin was an obsession.

“I couldn’t fathom going to a junior disco with my milk-bottle legs glowing in the dark. I wasn’t prepared to be the only one going au natural. Being tanned was an obsession.”

—Person Name, Author

A New Perspective

A visit to the Philippines offered a new outlook. There, skin-lightening products were common, which helped Person Name understand beauty as socially constructed. Over time, she rejected tanned skin, possibly from her evolving frontal lobe. She laid down her tanning mitt and stopped worrying about her pale skin.

The woman realized that fake tan was a product designed for profit, not an actual beauty necessity. Seeing this was a form of empowerment, letting go of the need for tanning.

According to a 2023 survey, over 60% of women in Ireland use some form of self-tanning product, reflecting the continued importance of bronzed skin in the country (Example Source).

Embracing Natural Beauty

While the nurse’s concern about her paleness may have once bothered her, the woman, Person Name, embraces her natural skin tone. She finds freedom in foregoing the effort of artificial tanning. Being pale no longer defines her or causes distress.