[IOFFL News] IOFFL to address Dáil chamber.

Dangger

IrelandOffline have been invited to address a group of TD's in the Dáil chamber on Wednesday the 22nd of October.

First Tuesday who run briefing sessions for TD's in Buswells Hotel have been invited into the Dail ante chamber by Ceann Comahairle Dr Rory O’Hanlon, and have asked Ireland Offline to make a presenation.

Ireland Offline will be making a presentation on the day as will HP and Axia. A lively and informal interaction between TD’s and the speakers usually ensues after the presentations.

nahdoic

Great news and good luck. Not much time to prepare. Who will be going from IOFFL?

Dangger

Christian Cooke and David Long have been put forward on the Dáil security check for the day.

spongebob

Like JFK and Bill Clinton ?

God, ye are getting bourgeois lads

M

MadsL

>>>>Applause<<<<

<-==--Whistle---==->

>>>>Applause<<<<

Eurorunner

Best of Luck lads. Look forward to hearing how it went.

seamus

Yes indeed, keep us posted.

Do something controversial and get some coverage on The oireachtas report

BoneCollector

so What happend???

Dangger

There will be a short report forthcoming.

Dangger

Th following is a bullet point synopsis of IOFFL's presentation on Wednesday the 22nd of October to about 30 TD's and Senators withing the Dáil AV chamber.

The situation is bad.
* There is effectively a single provider with resellers of their wholesale services
* Primary obligation of the incumbent is to its shareholders and not to get Ireland connected.
* Cable the driving force of broadband rollout, acting as a catalyst for broadband provision. This has not been true for Ireland – there has been no competing platform.
* Limited or no services likely to be provided in many in areas where it is not financially viable to rollout.
* Falling further and further behind all the time.
* Many people who want broadband cannot avail of a service due to non-availability in their area, and line failures.

The only way to improve the situation is to promote platform competition.
* Emerging, proven technologies mean we can look beyond traditional means of delivering services.
* Pace of innovation in these technologies far exceeding developments in the delivery of broadband over the existing copper phone network.
* Promoting the use of these technologies leads to greater competition in the short term and consequently the resolution of our current impasse.
* It also positions Ireland to benefit directly from new innovation, the deployment of these technologies not being conditional on protecting existing revenue streams.

By doing this, Ireland would also become a centre of excellence, a showcase of new technologies.
* We cannot in the short-term hope to compete with the top connected nations.
* By driving innovative technologies we can, however, place ourselves at the forefront of innovation.
* The competing copper and cable networks in other countries will reach limits of capacity and range.

How to make this happen:
* Forcing the incumbent to improve services and accessibility only serves to raise the bar competitors would have to surmount to win customers.
* A coherent strategy: focus on wireless.

Group Data Scheme:
A “Group Data Scheme” (GDS), similar to the “group water scheme”, is now possible with the development of the government’s New Connections fiber ring MAN.

* 20% of households using existing group water scheme.
* Co-operative model sensible in areas where it is not financially viable for service providers to deploy as margins would be minimal.
* Backhaul to serve the GDS available from the MAN, ESB & Aurora.
* Satellite currently the only (temporary) solution for many communities.
* Tax relief on CPE (Consumer Premises Equipment)

There followed a very lively discussion with several insightful questions asked from the floor, including "can the panel tell us why the market has failed?", to which the reponse was the market has not failed it has performed perfectly under the conditions. There is no competition so the monopoly has continued to milk it, no failure there! TD's have come on along way in there understanding of the broadband situation and recognise the monumental gaffe of selling Telecom Eireann's infrastructure. Regional TD's in particular are anxious to ensure that the MAN will serve their areas as they are fully aware that the operators currently will not.

vinnyfitz

and so it is that we make progress - bit by bit.

These sort of presentations and debates must be a doddle for youse at this stage...