Eircom rule out landline for valley [this before the new USO comes out]

damien

Eircom rule out landline for valley
http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/did-sgsxpaQAmvoJI.asp

RESIDENTS of a remote valley are relying on a fragile radio link to speak to the outside world after Eircom refused to install a landline service, claiming the cost was too high. The decision has made the community in Kerry's famous Black Valley, one of the most isolated in Western Europe, wonder why Ireland's hi-tech revolution has passed them by.

Eircom turned down requests to lay lines for a phone service to the picturesque valley because it said the €650,000 installation cost would be prohibitive given the few customers requiring it.

The region receives no mobile phone signal so the only other way residents can communicate is by a radio-link phone system noted for its unreliability. Because of restrictions in the Kerry County Development Plan, mobile phone companies say they cannot get planning permission to erect masts in scenic, mountainous areas such as the Black Valley.

O2 and others have called for changes in the plan and local politicians have also called for an easing of restrictions.

There was an outcry earlier this year after Black Valley people had difficulties in contacting medical services for an elderly man who suffered a heart attack. It took a doctor up to six hours to find where the man, who has since recovered, was living.

Independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae said he was disappointed with Eircom's response, but welcomed its commitment to enhance the battery back-up phone system in the valley. "While I welcome any investment in this infrastructure, I believe the only way the people of the Black Valley will have a phone service the same as everybody else is if a fixed landline is provided."

Mr Healy-Rae and a deputation from the valley recently met Eircom representatives seeking the replacement of the radio-link system.

But Grainne O'Malley of Eircom's commercial department now says, in a letter to the deputy, that after studying the problem, the cost would not justify replacing the system. She said they were progressing with improvements to the battery system as a matter of urgency.

Set in the foothills of the MacGillycuddy Reeks, the valley is frequented by mountaineers and hill walkers, who sometimes have problems raising alarm by phone when accidents and emergencies occur.

Under the new USO these villagers can happily get screwed. But doesn't this USO not occur for another week?

HelterSkelter

Because of restrictions in the Kerry County Development Plan, mobile phone companies say they cannot get planning permission to erect masts in scenic, mountainous areas such as the Black Valley.

O2 and others have called for changes in the plan and local politicians have also called for an easing of restrictions.

There was an outcry earlier this year after Black Valley people had difficulties in contacting medical services for an elderly man who suffered a heart attack. It took a doctor up to six hours to find where the man, who has since recovered, was living.

Typical, I don't understand the mentality of country people, they don't want mobile masts in their area yet there is "outcry" when they have no phone service.

Sponge Bob

damien.m wrote:

Eircom rule out landline for valley
http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/did-sgsxpaQAmvoJI.asp
Under the new USO these villagers can happily get screwed. But doesn't this USO not occur for another week?

The Black Valley is a very very bad example for USO provisioning IMO. Long and windy it is ......and thats just the amount of sh1te spouted by Kerry TD's in the Dáil on the subject of the Black Valley . I make it 120 iterations in the Dáil of the search string "Black Valley Telephone" since the foundation of the state.

It is Ultra Ultra Scenic there has long been resistance to having any form of wire on display .

Consequently it was the very very last place on the main island to get ESB in, that was in the 1970's or even in the 1980's and is in the hishtory books for that .

It was also one of the few places that never ever had overhead copper wires, .....always relying instead on radio links for telephony . Eircom probably use some ****ty analogue RF links instead of proper WLL or 3.5Ghz for the phones.

Furthermore There will NEVER be any copper in the Black Valley in future either .

If there was ONE spot in Ireland where I would execute the USO principle by hiding a mobile mast in a rock overlooking it and giving them all a mobile fone it is the Black Valley ......or else I would instruct eircom to use the spectrum they squat in the 2.2ghz 2.3ghz (both wll bands) and 3.5ghz bands to provision analogue over wireless or feck it. Put a mast up to do both and why not

oscarBravo

HelterSkelter wrote:

Typical, I don't understand the mentality of country people, they don't want mobile masts in their area yet there is "outcry" when they have no phone service.

...as opposed to city and town people, who actively campaign to have mobile phone masts erected in their back yards?

"Country" people don't oppose mobile phone masts, "luddites" oppose mobile phone masts.

Urban Weigl

In fairness to Eircom, they are probably meeting their USO requirements by providing a wireless radio link. As far as its stability/quality, it does not just meet but actually exceeds 0k!

Capt'n Midnight

Urban Weigl wrote:

In fairness to Eircom, they are probably meeting their USO requirements by providing a wireless radio link. As far as its stability/quality, it does not just meet but actually exceeds 0k!

Actually the quality level is now 28,800Kb ( not that any such standard exists, V34 was implimented as 36,600b :rolleyes: )

Unless of course they are lumped in with the 6% targeted never to have decent lines. ( 6% of one million customers is 60,000 )