Irish Times: Pressure mounts on Eircom to roll out internet technologies

dahamsta

http://scripts.ireland.com/technology/newsshowall.cfm?ID=2272

dahamsta

http://www.enn.ie/news.html?code=5146002

The Irish Times reports that the European Commission has extended an investigation into Eircom's dominance of the local telecoms network. At the centre of the investigation is Eircom's handling of the process to open its local network to competition. On Monday, the Commission asked rival operator Esat for full details of its negotiations with Eircom, including a schedule of the costs that Eircom proposes to charge for access to its local network. The Commission has also sought the licence conditions laid down by the incumbent operator. Esat claims that the range of costs that Eircom proposes charging for access to its local network are too high. The Commission has also extended its inquiry to investigate the current stand-off over the introduction of Eircom's new high-speed Internet product. The company has been prevented from introducing the service by the telecoms regulator because she feels the firm has not offered competitors a reasonable price to sell a similar product.

Lemming

The European Commission is losing patience with incumbent telecoms operators, such as Eircom, which are refusing to give up their monopoly on the local loop, and the team of EU national regulators who seem powerless to act.

This week the competition directorate extended an investigation into Eircom's handling of the process to open its local network to competition. The threat of a hefty fine, possibly as much as 10 per cent of turnover, is looming large. The Government may also face legal action from a separate directorate for its failure to push through unbundling. The bottom line is that the Commission feels snubbed.

For whom the bells toll ...........

Poetic Justice looks like it is finally about to be served. It would appear that both the government (in their insulated "rose-tinted" little world) and Eircom are VERY mcuh in harm's way for their ignorance, greed, and contempt towards the paying/voting public of this country.

gandalf

Hopefully (yeah right) this will mean that €ircon **** their pants and release uncapped ADSL at a realistic price and not the Grimms Fairytale Pricing they have already issued.

Gandalf.

(BTW Lemming I see you didn't get on the trial either!)

dahamsta

For whom the bells toll ...........

It tolls for thee, Eircom.

Unfortunately, Jamie had a point in his last paragraph. If the EU is just pumping out hot air here, if they don't follow through by sticking Eircom in a room with a guy called Vinny, nothing will change.

adam

PS. I'm free to attend that meeting.

Lemming

Originally posted by gandalf
(BTW Lemming I see you didn't get on the trial either!)

*sniffle* nope

In the immortal words of the italian guy from "Johnny Dangerously" ...

"You Farggin' iceholes!! This is fargging war you bastichs!!"

SkepticOne

Originally posted by gandalf
Hopefully (yeah right) this will mean that ?ircon **** their pants and release uncapped ADSL at a realistic price and not the Grimms Fairytale Pricing they have already issued.

Gandalf.

(BTW Lemming I see you didn't get on the trial either!)

What Eircom need to realise is that, with their ludicrous pricing, bizarre posturing in the press, delay tactics in the courts, they are bringing this pressure down upon themselves. We will get what we require in the end (flat-rate internet, broadband etc.) but Eircom will end up suffering far more.

So come on Eircom. Give us flat-rate Internet access!

Delphi91

This article finally gave me some hope that the EU was about to kick ass. But as Dahamsta says, if it's all hot air, then nothing will be any different.

Maybe it was the way the article was written, but it certainly seemed to me that the EU were pissed off with the arsing around that Eircom, etc al are up to here.

It sounded as if they were about to take matters in hand to a degree.

Maybe my New Years resolution will be to be a "slight" little bit less skeptical than i am now...:)

Mike

dahamsta

Fingers crossed Mario Monti decides to make an example of Ireland, eh Delphi91? Or better, that Eircom and the Government decide to fix things before he has to open a big can of whupass on them...

adam

Delphi91

Originally posted by dahamsta
...Or better, that Eircom and the Government decide to fix things before he has to open a big can of whupass on them...

adam

Oh I would MUCH MUCH prefer the can to be opened!!!!!

And I will be only TOO deloghted to make my can-opener available! Hell, I'll even hold the can while it's opened.

The problem with everything being all sorted out before anything happens, is that Joe Public never gets to see what's actually wrong. Now if the can is opened, then (hopefully!) serious public humiliation follows. That can only be good for the country - pressure gets put on politicians, etc....