National Digital Media Conference line up confirmed

Dangger

Just a reminder on the National Digital Media Conference (www.ndmc.info - May 1st). The line up of panelists has had several additions since we we announced we would be speaking at it.

Panellists:
Kevin Quinn, Director - Servecast.
David Long, Chairman, Ireland offline.
Les Harris, CEO, nevada tele.com.
Pat Galvin, Head of Regulatory Affairs, eircom.
Karlin Lillington, The Irish Times.
John Gunnigan, Director of Strategy and Business Development, O2.



WORKSHOP 2 - Telecommunications and Infrastructure
The barriers to broadband - is the cost of business broadband and the lack of consumer access stifling industry growth? Results will be presented in an open letter to the ODTR, The Telecommunications User Group and the telecoms Industry.

spongebob

or is such an event really taking place in UCD in the

'O'Reilly Hall'

on the first of May?

/irony /smacktogob

M

aidan_dunne

Originally posted by Dangger
Just a reminder on the National Digital Media Conference (www.ndmc.info - May 1st). The line up of panelists has had several additions since we we announced we would be speaking at it.

Panellists:
Kevin Quinn, Director - Servecast.
David Long, Chairman, Ireland offline.
Les Harris, CEO, nevada tele.com.
Pat Galvin, Head of Regulatory Affairs, eircom.
Karlin Lillington, The Irish Times.
John Gunnigan, Director of Strategy and Business Development, O2.

Ah yes, Mr. Pat Galvin, the man who said at last year's seminar that he saw "no reason why there couldn't be flat-rate internet access by Christmas." Well Pat, here we are, almost a year on and we still do not have flat-rate/FRIACO in place.

Don't forget to raise that point with Mr. Galvin, David. In fact, go in there and GIVE 'EM HELL!

sceptre

At EUR295pp, doubt many of us will be going

Dave, bet you thought it would be longer before people paid 295 nicker to hear you speak:D

Eircom sending Pat Galvin is at least a step forward from others they might send (mentioning no names) - as head of regulatory affairs at least he's aware of what's holding everything up (it's not the technology as we're all aware)

Odd though that Eircom are still sending non-techies to these things.

Paddy20

Is the "Cost of business broadband and the lack of "Consumer access"- Stifling industry growth??..

The answer is YES.

So why not send out an open reply letter NOW in advance of the talking shop/Conferance?.

Who knows maybe those in positions of influence might wonder why this workshop needs too be held in the first place, or is it simply another double or triplespeak stalling tactic. Thought up by some money crazed capitalist guru. Who happens to have an interest in the telecomms business sector.

It is a very old dodge - appear too be doing something constructive - Hold a conferance the bigger the better, therefore the longer all the issues raised at all the different workshops will take too be resolved - if ever.

Maybe, Ireland OFFline should give some consideration too boycotting this conferance/workshop and then explain too the stunned media exactly why??..

Paddy20

Did I just read Sceptre correctly. It costs Euros 295.00 p.p. to attend. Lock out Joe Public again eh, lets all keep it in the family piggy bank again.

What an insult. All that money just too listen too a panel made up" mostly" of sold out - capitalist clones - playing the talking heads game.

No doubt, with full stomachs and very well lubricated throats??..

Many charitable organisations could feed "Real hungry mouths worldwide" with the total money that will be thrown away at this jolly bash.

If, Ireland OFFline attend and share a platform with these people.

Then, why not use the opportunity too - Stand up - Make a protest statement - and then WALK OUT??..

Who then, would receive the media attention. An opportunity too inform the "excluded" general public of the - True Facts - in accordance with Ireland OFFlines stated aims and objectives.

At least Ms Karlin Lillington, of the Irish Times could not ignore it as a headline grabber?? Could she...

spongebob

The conference is organised by hoson

Their Website doesn't even work

Hoson is a commercial enterprise. It is supposed to make money.

It has not been organised by a disinterested third party or by a professional or industry body.

It is therefore not representative of anything or anybody in particular.

Only a marketing person could have booked the O'Reilly hall without ever realising the irony of it all.

M

pete

I have to admit, the idea of the Chairman of Ireland Offline standing up, pointing the finger at some of his fellow-panellists and saying "YOU are the barriers to broadband", and then walking out does hold a certain attraction....

But I have to say that I definitely think there's more to be gained by engaging with them in such a public forum.

pete

Originally posted by Muck
The conference is organised by hoson

Their Website doesn't even work

isn't it www.hoson.com ?

edit: not that that's working for me either, mind....

sceptre

The only info I have on it is pulled from Dave's link above (http://www.ndmc.info/)

Order form does indicate eur295 pp

If you look at it one way, it's a great opportunity for IOFFL to get its ideas over to the type of person who has paid eur295 to attend such an event. None of these people will be home internet users. They will be working for businesses that are paying thousands for leased lines - the type that could save a silly amount of money is IrelandOffline's aims are met.

And having such people on our side, always making the point that CUT, the equivalent organisation in the UK, achieved its aims to provide cheaper broadband (and unmetered 56k), can be no bad thing.

All IMHO of course.

spongebob

it should have been the non functional www.hoson.com link which is at the bottom of the puff piece on the National Digital whodoyamacallit page.

One does get concerned at their credentials if they organise a national digital whatdyacallit and then link the main page to a non functioning website ....... with no dns entry that should be a never functioning website I suspect.

Marketing people!

M

Paddy20

Quote:-Sceptre!..

"None of these people will be home internet users"? end quote.

Sorry Sceptre, must disagree.

Are they so elitist, that they are above being married with wives and children - at home - who do use the internet. Maybe they themselves might use the internet at home, especially those with laptops eh?.

Quote:- " And having such people on our side"?..

Should IOFFL consider becoming a fully paid up member of the establisment then?.

Those people do not give a fig about Ireland OFFline, its aims and objectives re:- A fair Unmetered flat - rate internet access service for ALL. Or the "General Public" come to that.

sceptre

Fair point about their using the Net @ home paddy

What I meant really (and I'm not disagreeing with you) is that this conference is primarily aimed at business, and judging by the price tag, at bigger businesses than most of the people involved in boards.ie are involved in.

Servecast for one are certainly a business that are unlikely to be dealing with ground-level consumers like you or me (as more of a solutions provider - see their website), but will gain enormously from affordable broadband being available to consumers with regard to their pay-per-view product.

Should IOFFL consider becoming a fully paid up member of the establisment then?.

Those people do not give a fig about Ireland OFFline, its aims and objectives re:- A fair Unmetered flat - rate internet access service for ALL. Or the "General Public" come to that.

IOFFl isn't becoming a member of any establishment (I assume that by "establishment" you mean the people we may not wholly trust, viz. the telecom companies, the government, elected and non-elected politicians, the civil service, the ISPs and so on). Why? 1. The elected committee wouldn't allow it, 2. The membership wouldn't allow it - the aims of the organisation have always been made clear, both on the website and in any press releases issued by the organisation.

WIth regard to the participating organisations and their own agendas, assuming (for the sake of ignoring the argument) that you are correct that they couldn't give a fig (or indeed, a toss) about the ordinary home Internet user in Ireland, there's no reason why we as an organisation, with our own agenda, can't use their needs for our own good (or realistically for the greater good of mankind ). It is another platform for our case to be made. Personally I'd quite like to see Dave Long and Pat Galvin in a half-hour segment on the Late Late show thrashing out the issues, but that isn't going to happen any time soon.

b20uvkft6m5xwg

FYI,
Conferences are a Tax write Off, so if you own a business you can include it in your Schedule D Case I & II Trading Expenditure.

Paddy20

Sceptre, Re:-

Your Late Late show suggestion:- a head to head half hour segment with Dave Long and Pat Galvin thrashing out the issues.

A good idea, with audience participation live and on the spot. It surely would warrant a complete " LATE, LATE, "SPECIAL".

Has anyone from Ireland OFFline approached Pat Kenny in the past?.

It would need a full show dedicated too informing the audience and the viewers about the facts of our scandalous and inexscusable internet access service here. When compared to the reasonably priced range of on-line services available throughout Europe and another part of our fair Isle.

I am sure Mr Kenny could gather together a panel from all sectors, The telecomms representatives, Consumer groups and Organisations i.e. Which Magazine surveyors, Politicians, EU Regulations experts and of course last but not least - Ireland OFFline itself.

All the ingredients of a "Special" are available and the public interest would be incalculable, but the ratings for that nights show would confirm the genuine "Public Demand" for a flat-rate Unmetered internet service NOW.

I can not think of anyone who when informed of the facts, do not then demand that they stop being treated as if they were dimwits and require as of right the same telecom internet services as are available too other European Citizens?.

With an election just around the corner, may I suggest that the very capable IOFFL Committee contact the Late Late Show office immediately or if anyone has a direct contact number for Pat Kenny then use it NOW.;)

spongebob

...and Kenny has some understanding of the issues which is more than you could say for his predecessor.

too late for this season, they will have planned the rest of teh series by now I should think.

M

dahamsta

...and Kenny has some understanding of the issues which is more than you could say for his predecessor.

Didn't Kenny come out with something ridiculous last year? A virus warning or something?

adam

Paddy20

Mr Pat Kenny,

Is the host of the show. He is there too encourage and facilitate the opinions of the panellists, the audience and "most importantly" the viewing audience.

It is never too late for a one off "SPECIAL" If it is warranted and of social and economic interest and Ireland OFFlines aim and objectives are much too important an issue.

The "Internet Access" special would be of great importance to the well being of just about every aspect of our society now and for the future, involving, Business, Education, Social interaction, Government services and information (Under the "Freedom of information Acts) and Mr & Mrs Joe Public along with their children.

All the ingredients for a riveting few hours of dynamic television - for a change?

This is no time for personality swipes. I would just love too see the knockers of radio and TV show presenters. Try taking the "hot seat" themselves?.. I doubt they would last a show.

Dustaz

whoa there silver!

Paddy, as much as we would all love to see david giving eircom hell on TV you have GOT to realise that its never going to happen.

it would not "warrant a complete " LATE, LATE, "SPECIAL".", the public interest would be far from 'incalcuable'. We can see exactly what the public interest is now - small.

RTE may have made some enormous scheduling mistakes in the past but there is no way that a producer is going to devote one of the richest 2 hour advertising pulls to the state of the internet in Ireland.

If you can prove that eircom broke the law...AND covered it up...AND there was some sort of colusion from official sources AND you can get public interest in it - and i mean real front page of 3 newspaper interest, not an internet forum - THEN it might warrant some sort of slot. Id love to be proved wrong on this, but im pretty sure im not going to be.



Why am i always the negative one?:)

Paddy20

Ralph Nader?- Where are you..

I am drowning in a sea of negativity and apathy.

The word "never" is a long time! Dustaz.

You know, it is possible to make the seemingly impossible happen or was I only dreaming when the first man landed on the moon way back in the sixties.

Dustaz, I enjoy our little discussions, but, - Quote you:- " We can see what the public interest is now - small" end quote??.

Eircom will love you for that one.

You can not blame the general public for not having an interest in an issue that has not been brought forcibly enough too their attention, and that is what the media is there for - supposedly to inform the public, in the interest of the state as a whole, but if we allow that Irish disease called negative thinking to prevail. Then we have lost - before we have begun, God help us?

Maybe, someone from the media, might take the time too explain on this forum why "Affordable Internet Access" is a right that is being denied too Irish citizens and the Business sector.:rolleyes:

dahamsta

I think Dustaz is trying to suggest that your suggestions were somewhat pie-in-the-sky Paddy (and that's being polite). IrelandOffline is a pragmatic, realist organisation. There's no point in getting the membership wound up over something that quite simply /will not happen/. Getting them wound up over something that could happen is perfectly acceptable.

adam

Paddy20

Adam,

Better Pie - in- the- sky, than a load of nothing, (And thats being polite too?).

Maybe, if you were told to get ready for a Late, Late, Special.
The old y-fronts might need changing fast?. Eh.

Ireland OFFline is a voluntary organisation with a "specific" campaign agenda and I should think keeping and increasing whatever pressure is required is part of that agenda. In order too achieve their stated aims and objectives." An Unmetered flat rate internet access service for All."

Sitting back eating humble pie, never got any pressure group anywhere, - or is the world flat after all.

Paddy

Dustaz

Originally posted by paddy20
Adam,

Better Pie - in- the- sky, than a load of nothing, (And thats being polite too?).

Paddy, your getting counter productive now. Have a look at the topics on this forum and tell me that Ireland Offline has achieved nothing.

It has achieved a whole lot more than waffling on about unrealistic plans to hijack 2 hours of primetime television on a subject that, and let me make this very clear, the general public of Ireland dont have a whole lot of interest in.
You do, I do, most of the people reading this forum do. We are not the general public. We are a group of around 2000 people in a population of 4 MILLION people.
Please take this into account when you speak for nation from now on.

Paddy20

Dustaz, No Government, Private business, Service provider, or any section of the MEDIA can afford too ignore the wishes and needs of a group with that many members. Especially an organisation with a socially and economically important agenda.

2000 people - can move mountains if they have too.

Must give this info more consideration Re:- The real power of an organisation with that many members - the possibilities are endless and achievable??.