InBus_Win09_1-55:InBusiness 1-61 11/12/2009 16:19 Page 45
Broadband Rollout | FEATURE
“THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR
done in the UK,” he says. “Should ComReg apply
additional pressure in the next few months, it may
ME IS THAT THE MARKET be more attractive for outside parties other than
IS QUITE UNCOMPETITIVE
Eircom unbundling more exchanges. If that
happens, it opens up a more competitive market
IN THAT EIRCOM HAVE and Digiweb would be keen to get involved. In
NOT OPENED UP THEIR
that market then many more foreign companies
could be attracted here too.”
NETWORK IN THE WAY “While the major players are offering more
THAT BT HAVE DONE IN
bandwidth, they are going to run out of capacity
with DSL and so it is critically important that we
THE UK.” look at fibre as the next thing,” explains Claire
– Declan Campbell
Cunningham. “We have to keep looking at fibre
Simon Coveney, TD, Fine Gael.
and ensure that a rollout happens across the
country. I hope that if the sale of Eircom goes
ground. A certain amount of interest was put in consolidation is available. Right now, there are up ahead, the new buyers will be focused on a long-
place and government funding was available to three companies it is looking at, according to term aim of broadband for Ireland. A lot of the
but there was no follow up,” he says. Declan Campbell, COO, Digiweb. money being spent at the moment on telecoms is
Those in opposition to the Government feel “The biggest issue for me is that the market is just keeping the existing infrastructure going and
that there are many ways that broadband in quite uncompetitive in that Eircom have not in place. Now we really need to take it to the
Ireland can be immediately improved without opened up their network in the way that BT have next level.”
incurring financial costs. Simon Coveney, Fine
Gael TD, says that as a priority an audit of all
state-owned broadband infrastructure should be EASY AS ONE, TWO, 3?
carried out to avoid investing in the same areas
++++++++++++++++++++++++
and duplicating work that has already been done.
“Firstly, open access needs to be provided to
With 3 Ireland responsible for the rollout of nationwide
infrastructure as much as is feasibly possible in
broadband, Rob Marshall, Communications Manager with 3, is
terms of ducting, fibre and copper on the basis of
confident that every home and business in Ireland will have
a new regulated wholesale pricing model.
Secondly, there needs to be a coordination of all
high speed internet access sooner rather than later.
state-owned assets by restructuring the way we
++++++++++++++++++++++++
manage state-owned broadband and bringing it
all together into one publicy-owned wholesale
FOR ANY BUSINESS to progress steadily, fast We have also gained customers in the
broadband company that will aggressively
and reliable internet access is vital. The ability business market, where we have seen a strong
to communicate with partners, customers and uptake; particularly from SMEs. With our
compete for business in the market and will add
suppliers in an efficient manner can be the bundle packages, these companies are saving
to the infrastructure already owned by Eircom or
difference between success and failure. As a 35 per cent compared to our competitors. So
BT. The third area is the National Broadband
result, the availability of broadband technology we are entering 2010 in a very positive
Scheme. While it is solving the initial problem of
will be crucial to our economic recovery. manner.
giving basic broadband services to rural areas, you
We’re very happy with the progress that we
might find in two years time that the service is
made in 2009 as we made some significant
totally inadequate. Finally, we must deal with
advances. We have established ourselves as a
spectrum allocation with no more delay as the
market leader and we’re constantly growing –
current spectrum deals with a number of the 2G
we currently have almost 500,000 customers
mobile operators are due to expire. All of these
in Ireland, and we expect to meet that number
things can be done without spending any
before the end of the year.
money,” says Coveney. The broadband roll out is going very well
Leading providers in the market are also calling and we’re set to meet our targets. In 2008
for the market to be opened up to increase approximately 223,000 people in Ireland had
competitiveness and eyeing up potential no access to broadband and since then we
companies as consolidation is expected soon in
have been working on the broadband roll out
the already cluttered marketplace.
this figure has been gradually decreasing. By
Digiweb, which launched its satellite technology
October of next year we will have
Rob Marshall, Communications Manager,
this year and promises 100 per cent universal
everywhere covered. 3 Ireland.
coverage, is keeping its eyes open for what
InBusiness Winter 09 45
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