LifeTimes broadband article

michaelpwilson

The following report was published in LifeTimes (a newspaper delivered free to most of Dublin) dated 20/11/2002.

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Broadband Funding Questions

The Greens have welcomed what they term ‘the belated effort to get cheaper internet access’ but warn the real test for Ireland’s technological future will be whether the government will give the promised funding for fibre-optic broadband networks in the upcoming book of estimates.

Eamon Ryan, TD, Green Party spokesperson on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources says “It is disgraceful that the government has allowed Ireland to fall to the bottom of the OECD surveys regarding internet and broadband access.

“The monopoly telecom provider, Eircom, has completely failed in providing any proper DSL or other broadband service. Their competitors complain that Eircom has stymied their own efforts to introduce such services and the telecoms regulator, Ms. Etain Doyle, has been ineffective in bringing competition into the telecoms market. A plan for a number of local fibre optic broadband loops are proposed to be built next year. However, there are real fears among the technology community that intensive lobbying from Eircom has convinced the Department of Finance to pull the plug on the project,” says Ryan.

“Should the project not be allocated the necessary 30 million pounds (sic) in the upcoming book of estimates it will be clear that the government will be content to leave Ireland in the telecom dark ages. Budget cutbacks should not be targeted at areas where there is potential to create jobs for the future,” according to Deputy Eamon Ryan.
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I realise this is probably out of date at this stage, but it’s good to hear some TDs being vocal on the subject. I take it by “proper DSL” Mr. Ryan is referring to a service which doesn’t involve remortgaging your house to pay for it.

I thought part of the problem here though was that there are fibre rings built all over the country which just haven’t been lit - a case of money being required to utilise them - or am I wrong?

Paddy20

MichaelpWilson,

The present Irish Government can not afford to ignore the increasing rumble of discontent from all sectors of the Irish electorate in relation to proper Internet access provision in the Irish Republic.

That is, if they want to avoid the same fate as the Conservative party in England?

See you.

paddy20

drrnwbb

paddy20: internet/broadband isnt one of the things that the general electorate is overly concerned about. they (you) are more concerned with hopsital waiting lists, education for thier kids etc.

dw

stormkeeper

Even so, the Internet is an important resource... For anyone and everyone. Many companies won't have anything to do with us, because of the state of our infrastructure (no DSL/Flat-Rate), and thus denying is valuble income. Shame the government don't realise how important the internet really is...

The entire country is getting ripped off because of this, so the internet should be something everyone should be concerned about, especially if people decide to move, due to the lack of it. I am considering moving to Holland myself, just so I can get decent net access, and possibly a better job than here in Ireland. Believe me, I'd love to stay, but a person of my age (about a year out of school) will have a hard time finding IT-Based jobs. Offering a decent net service would offer more jobs, as well as bringing people back and into the country.

BigEejit

However, there are real fears among the technology community that intensive lobbying from Eircom has convinced the Department of Finance to pull the plug on the project,”

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What the hell is that all about? Eircom lobbying against government sponsored infrastructure? (i.e. free or greatly reduced cost to them)? Could a reason be that they want punters to use their infrastructure for extremely large sums of money? Is there laws against this? (i.e. tell the government that there is no need to spend money on such a service and then charge the arse off punters for your service)