Objective: Affordable Internet Access

Xian

Originally posted by seamas
As it says on the IrelandOffline website, the objectives are

• Universal flat rate (unmetered) access to the internet for all users.
• Complete Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) by Eircom.
• Universal access to broadband services for all users.

At the AGM it was agreed that the focus of Ireland Offline's attention in the coming year should be on fixed wireless and, as a result, the Objectives page should be updated, not least because it contained references to the ODTR and LLU which it's generally agreed is unlikely now to happen and which, if progress was made on the issue, would have little effect on the lack of real competition in the Irish market.

At our first meeting we discussed how the page should be updated and the same old arguments came up about objectives in general (ref. "what kind of an objective is 'universal access to broadband'?") and it became clear that all along we've had only one objective - Affordable Internet Access - and that the "objectives" were really focusses which we beleived would deliver this.

The page is now updated to reflect this. The only change in the erstwhile "objectives" is the substitution of LLU with fixed wireless and their reclassification as "focusses". The objective, though, is now clearly Affordable Internet Access, as it should have been all along. As explained on the objective page, what is meant by this is:

Affordable - comparable with other countries for comparable services.
Internet - functional narrowband access (i.e not at rates as low as 14kbps that a substantial number of households currently connect at), proper broadband access.
Access - accessible to every household in the country.

And so, in answer to Elmo's original question "Is Ireland Online?", no, not yet. Ireland will be "Online" when Affordable Internet Access is available.

Mr_Man

Might be worth IOFFL following up to-days article (in the business section) on the new wireless licenses with a letter to the editor welcoming the development etc etc.

M.