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So what now for rural Cork scheme?

  • 01-07-2005 7:14pm
    #1
    imogen
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭


    Hi there

    We posted a few months ago about our Tracton community broadband plans and ploughed through all the community broadband scheme forms. As predicted all has come to nothing - there will be a mast on the edge of our area serving a few people but because we have no concentrations of people, we are near the sea and we have one or two (small) hills and valleys, it appears we are of no interest to any of the providers.

    Lorcan from Smart, the only person who showed any interest, has now left Smart.

    Eircom are about to enable one of the exchanges which serves part of our area (Oatlands, Belgooly, 021 4770xxx) but the other, Minane Bridge (021 4887xxx) is not on anyone's list as far as we know. It's an Ericsson AXE remote installed in 1995 and is ISDN enabled. The only good bit is that apparently Eircom use our area as an example of a highly reliable rural wired network.

    Anyone got any suggestions what we do now? Is there anyone in Eircom that would be interested that we have 120 people signed up already if they'd just give it to us? If so how do we contact them?

    Thanks for the advice

    Imogen


Comments

  • #2
    Mr_Man
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 638 ✭✭✭Mr_Man


    It is not clear from you mail whether the scheme you mentioned at the edge of your area is a GBS scheme or not. If its not why not try to get one of your own up and running. There are schemes running with as few as 25 poeple although the department normally looks for around 40.

    Another option is to talk to the provider for the scheme at the edge of your area and see if they would install some repeaters to cover your area. These are relatively low cost and can be attached to houses/barns etc.

    With 120 people signed up you should have no troble convincing an ISP to talk to you. We have a similar number, in a tricker environment than yours seems to be and we were able to get an ISP to come on board, with another waiting in the wings.

    HTH

    M.


  • #3
    1huge1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,174 ✭✭✭1huge1


    you guys think you have it bad a town called hospital (were im from) was supposed to done by the first rural phase but were still waiting and theres nothing in sight its total crap its a big town like


  • #4
    imogen
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭imogen


    We went through all the community broadband thing getting in touch with ISPs. There was NO interest except Digiweb/satellite which is much too expensive for anyone except large businesses.

    NONE except the sadly departed Lorcan from Smart (who presumably got the push because he was interested in areas like ours considered to be uneconomic).

    Despite 120 people signed up. What we want to know now is how do you try to wake up Eircom since they are clearly our only option in the circumstances? We know Minane isn't on the current list of upgrades, how do we get it shifted up the list?

    Thanks

    Imogen


  • #5
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Give them between €80k and €100k and it will happen. Thats what Oughterard County Galway did in round one of the GBS scheme. The government will stump up ...say...50% of that leaving you with a shortfall of €40k - €50k to make up.

    There are some spare 'slots' in the current round of Exchange upgrades.


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