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In Your Opinion | FEATURE

An outage to our broadband supply is essentially a threat to the success of our business. We rely completely on a good quality and reliable service to secure our competitiveness and reliability. The statement made by STT’s chief executive, Theng Kiat Lee, in December that they plan to be a “long-term investor” is encouraging and this, teamed with their proposed floatation of the telco in 2012, would indicate a determination to reduce their debt, increase market share and improve service and consumer satisfaction in order to capitalise fully on their investment.

STT’s indication to ComReg of its proposed investment in Eircom’s network infrastructure has to be welcomed. Should this occur, I believe the level of service received by Irish businesses, either directly with Eircom or via alternative suppliers using this network, will increase dramatically.

For me, there are four principles I would like to see STT embrace in Ireland. Firstly, broadband is a universal service and should be provided as such. If network operators don’t step up to the plate, then government should regulate. Secondly, a customer who pays for speed (bandwidth) should get the speed they pay for, not some approximation. Speeds should be available to allow for businesses and schools to engage in state-of-the-art internet activities. That means 100mbps, not 8mbps. Thirdly, effort needs to go into encouraging all Irish business to be online. In the UK, it is predicted that £1 in every £5 will be spent online by 2012. Irish businesses that are not trading online are losing out. So, too, are their broadband providers. Lastly, young people who use the internet more than they watch TV at home are forced to switch their phones and laptops off when they go to school. We need the internet to be used in learning. I believe we need our broadband providers to play their part in investing in all our futures.

nationwide. If they successfully deliver on this, I think Irish consumers and businesses alike will be in a better place.

While many consumers now have access to broadband, with the exception of the ever- present black spots, the lack of consistency has been the most frustrating. Eircom’s plan to roll out 60 per cent of lines by year end is promising. Furthermore, the pledge of 8mb download speeds on a 24/7 basis will excite those who have experience crawling download speeds and waited on stalled pages. They are giving a free upgrade to this minimum standard and it’s just the starting point. The DSL technology can take far more. With a capital expenditure of €100m, they have the means to realise their own strategy and hopefully all of our ambitions for a smart economy. Of course none of this can truly be gauged until we see the next generation broadband strategy in action. While I’m optimistic, the consumer will ultimately decide. One would have to suppose that the fact that Eircom are owned by a telecoms operator for the first time since 1999 has had some bearing on this refreshed strategy. I would want to know that my service provider is motivated with a passion for the industry, an excitement by the technology and ultimately a sense that consumer issues are their issues.

Cameron Ross.

JOAN MULVIHILL, CEO, IRISH INTERNET ASSOCIATION

DOES IT REALLY matter who owns Eircom? Or any network operator for that matter? I think – for most business, education or home users of broadband – what is important is the following question: can I get the service I want and can I get it at a competitive price?

My experience in The Digital Hub over the past six years has been that businesses, schools and communities that have broadband use it and would not do without it. Broadband – for almost all – is a means to an end; the end being able to participate in social networks, watch video, connect with friends and family, learn and trade. STT will be familiar with this and – originating as they do from Singapore, where broadband is almost ubiquitous – they realise the critical importance of this utility.

The fact that STT is a telecoms operator and not simply an investment company gives me a sense that Eircom may now have the breathing space to make more strategic investments and choices in the interests of businesses and consumers.

Joan Mulvihill.

DR. STEPHEN BRENNAN, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND STRATEGY, DIGITAL HUB DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

THE STT TAKEOVER of Eircom first hit the headlines back in September 2009 and at the time, was widely welcomed. Recent activity from Eircom would suggest that the welcome was warranted. In March, Eircom announced the launch of their next generation broadband strategy which by their account will deliver consistent, high performance broadband

Dr Stephen Brennan.

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