Eircell said yesterday it could now offer its customers a reduction on their mobile phone bills, if they bought goods and services from a number of named outlets with its new credit card.

The company said it expected up to 50,000 of its customers to be using the Eircell Visa card by next March.

"It might just tip the balance if someone was thinking of signing up with Digifone," said Eircell's chief executive, Mr Stephen Brewer. "What we want to do is retention and recruitment of customers."

He said the Eircell Visa, which is underwritten by Allied Irish Banks, had a lower APR, or interest repayment rate, than any of the major Irish banks, and was good value for that reason alone.

But customers could save on their phone bills in the heavy-spending Christmas period by earning "Talking Points" for purchases in shops such as Bewley's, Champion Sports and Maxol.