Official Ireland - Broadband in Ireland 2007

jbkenn

I am posting this on the Broadband and IrelandOffline forum, Mods feel free to delete if you feel it is a duplication, my apologies, it's a bit long winded

Following a number of posts on various Boards Forums, questions asked, suppositions and general misinformation.

To get an insight into where "Official Ireland" is coming from I attended a conference in Limerick organised by Shannon Broadband on Wed 7th November titled

Communications - Key trends and their signifance for regional economies

It was attended, in the main, by the usual suspects, State, Semi State Bodies. Local Authorities etc,.

The following was the format

9.00am Opening Address by Minister for State Mr. Tony Killeen

9.25am Broadband a Regional Perspective - Mr. Kevin Thompstone Shannon Developement

9.45am National Broadband Scheme - Official from Department of Communications

10.15am Market Trends Role of Next Generation Networks - Eoin Gahan Forfas

11.00am Importance of Comms Infastructure - Pat Kidney Mason Analysis

11.20am Digital Cities A European Experience - Official Shannon Developement

11.40am Accessing public infastructure for Broadband - Official Limerick Co.Co.

11.55am Infastructure driven Competition in the BB marketplace - Mark Coan UPC

12.15pm Open Discussion

12.45pm Concluding remarks - County Manager North Tipperary Co.Co.


So here is what transpired

Opening Address by Minister for State Mr. Tony Killeen

Said the usual Ministerial few words, and, wished he could stay, but, unfortunately he had an other appointment and had to go. Exit stage left.

Broadband a Regional Perspective - Mr. Kevin Thompstone Shannon Developement

Massive infastructure deficiencies in the region, needs €4 Billion to address these deficiencies, and, Shannon Developement having built the MAN in Limerick and building 8 more in the region, are best suited to managing this essential infastructural investment. Nothing new here. "Gi'us a job"

National Broadband Scheme - Official from Department of Communications

Ireland lagging behind but making great strides and now 13th in the Euro league and MAN's, Group Broadband Scheme and now the National Bbroadband Scheme, will put us up there with the best of them. What else would you expect him to say

Market Trends Role of Next Generation Networks - Eoin Gahan Forfas

The new buzz word "NGN" Next Generation Networks, unable to define what precisely constitutes a NGN, but, speed between 50Mb and 1Gb would be about right

Importance of Comms Infastructure - Pat Kidney Mason Analysis

One of the main consultants to the Department of Communications, generic presentation that actually said nothing.

Digital Cities A European Experience - Official Shannon Developement

Well delivered presentation by an official from Shannon Developement, however the data was between four and six years out of date

Accessing public infastructure for Broadband - Official Limerick Co.Co.

My personal favourite, Limerick County Council needs SCADA from 57 water treatment plants and water towers around the County, they tendered out the use of the facilities for use as BB repeaters to wireless BB providers on a revenue share basis, as they are in final negotiation with a provider he could'nt say a whole lot, but, he had some dinky maps.

Infastructure driven Competition in the BB marketplace - Mark Coan UPC

Basically a free launch for the UPC Triple Play service they are about to launch on cable in Limerick/Shannon, although he was'nt too sure about Shannon

Open Discussion chaired by Conal Henry CEO E-Net

This being Ireland, nobody likes to be first to ask a question, so, I took the opportunity to make a few observations and ask a few questions, let me say here I have a vested interest, I run a rural Wireless ISP in County Limerick

Observations
Nobody mentioned the two "elephants in the room" who were absent, and in my opinion most responsible for the mess we are in, Eircom, and that "rest home for the bewildered" ComReg, why are they always absent from these conferences, Eircom actually attend, but, not in an official capacity.
Response, none

MAN's, how and when is it proposed to light the MAN's and in particulary in Nenagh and Newcastle West?
Response, E-Net is the MSE for the first phase (27) MAN's, the tender is out for the second phase MAN's and has not been awarded yet. so, they will be lit, but, no idea of a time frame.
Group Broadband Scheme, An unmitigated disater, which left many rural providers and communities, swinging in the wind.
Response, All the fault of the communities, they did'nt get actively involved enough, not the fault of the Department
National Broadband Scheme, The Minister admitted in the Dail that he spent the money on pellet boilers, so, if there is no money, where does the scheme stand?
Response, The Deptment spent the money on pellet boilers because the money was not spent on the NBS, the Department has a budget of €423 Million, so the money is there, it has taken longer to evaluate the tenders than originally thought, but, it is now narrowed down to 4 companies and will be in place by 2009, he is so confident that it will be in place by 2009, he invited me to return and throw rotten fruit at him, I kid you not.

Next Generation Networks, Where is the news? I am already using one , It's called Smart Telecom

Limerick County Council Water Towers, Sorry, you are 2.5 years too late, we have made other arrangements, we don't need them.
Despite assurances from the Department of Communications at the launch of the GBS that we would have total co-operation from all Local Authorities none of the GBS schemes and providers, that I have been involved with, have ever successfully obtained the use of any Local Authority facility.
Response, I was'nt involved in the GBS, so I can't comment.

Final question
What message do I bring from this conference to the people of Galbally, or any other rural community, other than, "live horse and you shall partake of succulent grasses". p.s. Galbally was enabled for Wireless BB this weekend

Concluding remarks
Usual concluding remarks, food for though etc., etc.,

My own conclusion?
This conference was about scamming €4 Billion and how the various interested parties can get their snouts into the cash trough. Nobody is interested in solving the BB deficit in rural Ireland, its your own fault for living in the sticks


jbkenn

watty

So I didn't miss much?

long_b

2009 ? That's fairly disheartening I must say.

old boy

u should know by now that u did not have to attend to find all that out