21st Century Mayo

kilmoveeinfo

Hi Folks,

I hope this will not get moved/edited or lead to my banishment but I would like to highlight some issues that we in the West are facing, some that may impact on all of you..

First, is we in the West have little or no broadband, and by broadband I mean where we can plug the cable/modem in and get 2mbs as a minimum not the fancy fiber or high speed stuff that some are advertising of 120mbs. Just bog standard simple stuff is all we are asking for.. yes we are on the NBP (National Broadband Plan) which is a review of areas that don't have BB first round will take place in Sept 2015 (we believe) and will be based on commercial viability and population. That virtually will rule our village out.. Since the end of NBS (National Broadband Scheme) the service levels have dropped leading to some no longer having any 'mainstream' provider for any kind of BB.. (or phone coverage) This has been brought to the attention of companies involved who have repeatedly said there are no plans to upgrade towers/masts/service levels etc... We have also had our plight (along with other areas) on a very popular online news website based here in Ireland.

Q1. Is it right that areas of Ireland are totally overlooked when it comes to development in technology?

Q2. Is it right that in 21st Century Ireland areas have no mobile phone or broadband coverage?

Secondly, we face (along with other areas) the imposition of a part of the Grid 25 plan to erect pylons through towns and villages across the west including our own, we can't get broad band but we can have 45m high pylons... What you probably don't realize is the cost of this project is €3.2 BILLION which will cost each of us at least €3 a week for 50 years on already the 4th highest electricity bills in Europe, but it wont stop there.. the increase in electricity will bump up production costs and retail costs.. It doesn't there either, the company responsible for maintaining the infrastructure have questioned the scale and size of the project and the prediction/forecast of usage by the company that is building it. Not to mention the potential adverse health effects.. (no we are not the tin foil hat brigade). The impact these 45m high pylons will have on the tourism trade in the west and the possible jobs that will be lost.

Thats not to mention the countless wind farms planned for the west coast where developers are being paid at the moment to turn wind turbines off!

Q3. Are you prepared to pay higher electricity prices so that our suppliers can sell a premium generated power at a loss?

Q4. Can you afford a higher cost of living due to higher cost of production etc?

Q5. Can we take the gamble on health of our children, live stock and wildlife?

Q6. Is the possibility of job losses in the tourism sector in the west acceptable?

oscarBravo

I find it sadly ironic that your post is criticising a lack of infrastructure while simultaneously criticising a planned infrastructure build.

Avns1s

Thinly veiled Anti Gridwest Thread OP given that when I started reading, I thought the thread was going to be about your pretty ill informed view of the Broadband situation in Mayo and indeed in your own area.

yop

Avns1s wrote: »

Thinly veiled Anti Gridwest Thread OP given that when I started reading, I thought the thread was going to be about your pretty ill informed view of the Broadband situation in Mayo and indeed in your own area.

Got to agree on that. If its a discussion with regards gridwest then we'll end it now.

micosoft

kilmoveeinfo wrote: »

Q1. Is it right that areas of Ireland are totally overlooked when it comes to development in technology?

What developments? Do you drive into areas of Ireland and your smartphone suddenly disintegrates into dust? Is there an embargo on technology into Mayo?

You've answered your own question OP.

kilmoveeinfo wrote: »

Q2. Is it right that in 21st Century Ireland areas have no mobile phone or broadband coverage?

Yes. Based on commercial viability and population

People that choose to live in the countryside in one-off housing or ribbon developments in one of the lowest population densities of Europe can't complain when it's not viable to service them. Furthermore there is no broadband or mobile coverage in vast areas of Northern Sweden for example so hardly unique.

Secondly the deep irony of those that refuse the costs of infrastructure but demand the benefits is a recurring theme in this country. I remember the complaints about mobile phone masts giving cancer back in the day much like the OP's made up risks from pylons.

As an aside, I live in rural Wicklow and depend on radio for my internet setup by a local company. Not exactly broadband but sufficient. A restriction I live with due to my choice of where I live.

Gran Hermano

Back in the days when most countries were deregulating their state owned telecoms and electricity entities, I worked overseas with a company that was able to deploy fibre alongside their pylons. Brought serious upgrades to services available.