Vodafone to move call centres from Ireland to Egypt and India

According to Vodafone Ireland, some of its mobile data services would move to Vodafone Egypt, where the company has an existing agreement to use the Egyptian subsidiary for outsourced work. In addition, the Vodafone mobile back office will move this activity to India from October. A new company will be hired to handle debt collections in Ireland.

According to the Communications Workers’ Union General Secretary, Terry Delany, the company appears happy to make profits from its Irish customers, enjoy Irish pro-business supports and Irish tax rates, but is not willing to reciprocate in supporting Irish jobs to service its Irish operations. Vodafone will continue to have over 400 staff working in its Irish call centers. In total, it employs about 1,200 staff in Ireland.

These initiatives have been taken against a backdrop of falling revenues and declining customer numbers as the recession affects consumer spending.