Telecoms companies Eircom and Vodafone have been convicted of overcharging customers in a case taken by the communications watchdog ComReg.

Eircom pleaded guilty to seven offences and were fined a total of €21,000 while Vodafone also pleaded guilty to seven offences and were fined €10,000.

In the case of Three Ireland, Judge John O'Neill adjourned the case until next September, allowing the company time to pay €15,000 to charity, to avoid conviction.

The court heard how in one case a man in a nursing home had received letters from a debt collector, despite his son contacting Eircom to cancel his father's contract.

In three other cases customers complained to ComReg after not receiving services they had signed up for with Eircom.

One customer had ordered a landline and broadband but the line was never activated. Another customer who had signed up for an Eircom loyalty bundle never received the offer.

The court heard how the customers tried on numerous occasions to resolve the situations but no action was taken.

The court heard how in one case a father had to try several times to cancel his son's account with Vodafone after he had suffered a serious injury in a fall.

The company continued to charge the bill payer for two months.

In the case of Three Ireland the court heard how one customer received a bill for nearly €300 after a package to include free minutes to the UK was not added to his account.

He had tried on several occasions to resolve the situation including visiting the franchise shop in Nenagh, Co Tipperary where he signed up.

The court heard how during one visit the agent hid from the customer to avoid addressing the issue.

The court heard how all three operators accepted that they had fallen short of their own standards and all three had co-operated fully with the investigations.

Eircom said it takes regulation and customers service seriously and had 2 million accounts in Ireland.

Three Ireland said it had now relocated its customer care centre to Limerick. It had been based in India.

It said it was also giving staff there an increased level of authority to deal with complaints more efficiently.

Vodafone said it accepted that it fell short of its own standards, which were in part due to human error and to systems failures.

It said efforts will be made to link up teams in Eircom, as part of a plan to improve the way in which complaints are dealt with.

In handing down his judgment, Judge John O'Neill singled out Eircom, saying that the attitude of the company in sending out letters from debt collectors was "despicable".

He described their code of practice as a "joke". He said the company's attitude towards its customers "leaves a lot to be desired". Judge O'Neill fined them €5,000 on each offence.

In the case of Vodafone, Judge O'Neill fined the company €2,500 in respect of four charges.

The case of Three Ireland was adjourned until September, to allow the company pay €15,000 to charity.