Dermot Ahern Launches Draft Policy Direction to ComReg

[SkepticOne]

Read here.

[Dustaz]

Access to the Internet at Flat-rate Charges

The widespread availability of dial-up access to the internet charged at flat rates would be of substantial benefit to users as well as for the further development of the market for internet access provision. In the first instance, the development and provision of such access services are matters for market players. The Commission shall make use of its powers under the legislation as appropriate, to bring about agreements among market players for the provision to the public of dial-up internet access charged at flat rates. The Commission shall report to the Minister on progress in relation to this matter within one month of the issue of these Directions, making any recommendations it considers appropriate for further action.

and

Broadband Electronic Communications Networks

The Commission shall take into account the national objective regarding broadband rollout in its regulatory decisions, viz, the Government wants to see the widespread availability of open-access, affordable, ‘always on’ broadband infrastructure and services for businesses and citizens throughout the State within three years, on the basis of utilisation of a range of existing and emerging technologies and broadband speeds appropriate to specific categories of service and customers.

W00t!

[DeVore]

Body blow!
Body blow!
Upper Cut!


FINISH HIM!!!!

Eircom.... its official.... MOMMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT!!!


plyd IOFFL, grats!

DeV.

[spongebob]

Its a bit of a Dolly Mixture really. The Minister seems to have included too much and in so doing he restated much of what is in the Comms Act 2002 anyway! The bits I liked that had not made it into the COMMS Act are that the minister Directed FRIACO and that due regard be given to the USO directive in the EU framework.

Section 13 of the Act provides for ministers to make Directives and also explains clearly that a Directive is not binding in Draft form....although it must first appear in draft form to allow consultation which is fair enough. It would also be a general principle of Administrative Law that the submissions on this must get due consideration, the due consideration period starts on the 12/01/03 . I suspect it becomes a mandatory policy plank for COMREG in or around the 010203...........hummmm.

13.—(1) In the interests of the proper and effective regulation of
the electronic communications and postal markets, the management
of the radio frequency spectrum in the State and the formulation of
policy applicable to such proper and effective regulation and management,
the Minister may give such policy directions to the Commission
as he or she considers appropriate to be followed by the
Commission in the exercise of its functions. The Commission shall
comply with any such direction.
(2) Before giving a direction under subsection (1), the Minister
shall give to the Commission and publish a draft of the proposed
direction and—
(a) give the reasons for it, and
(b) specify the period (being not less than 21 days from giving
it to the Commission or such publication, whichever is
the later) within which representations relating to the
proposal may be made by interested parties.
(3) The Minister, having considered any representations made
under subsection (2), may give the direction under subsection (1)
with or without amendment.

[MDR]

Phillip Nolan must be shaking in his boots ...

Off back to British Gas with you, you muppet ...

Edit,

Missing the word affordable from the 'Access to the Internet at Flat-rate Charges' section, as in the Broadband section.

In the 'Broadband Electronic Communications Networks' section, the word affordable needs to be defined in terms of a percentage range of the national wage average, me thinks.

The Commission must consider the business customer, when making decisions, 'Industry Sustainability'....

The Commission must consider what our compeditors have 'Consistency with Other Member States'... Good

The 'Regulation of retail prices' section worries me, I would advocate the raising of say the cost of local call in exchange for more affordable DSL. But me thinks the telcos would like thier cake and it eat in this matter.

I would also add the section, the Commission must encourage a telecoms maket such that the companies who operate in this market are encouraged to be innovative, and bring Ireland to the forefront of information delivery technologies.

[Tazz T]

'the Government wants to see the widespread availability of open-access, affordable, ‘always on’ broadband infrastructure and services for businesses and citizens throughout the State within three years'

THREE YEARS????????????????

[MDR]

throughout the State

that ain't gonna happen soon...
should be alot less for metropolitan areas,

Eircom is gonna fight all of this tooth and nail,
the Minister may have to introduce legislation,
Eircom will fight the legislation in the courts,
the courts will drag it out,
etc
etc
etc
Its still along battle, but it least its starting to look like the govt. is on our side.

[stormkeeper]

and that can't be a bad thing, can it?

[topgold]

Will IOFFL doorstep the minister with a formal written submission? That's a photo opp in the making if a proper submission can be formulated over the Christmas break.

I read the three year time period as equivalent to changing the status quo during the life of the current government. It could take an Internet eon to affect the islands. We could make the process more affordable by advocating higher power WiFi like they have in the island connection off the southern California coast.

There are issues here involving people in the wireless forum on boards.ie.

[Xian]

Originally posted by Muck
The bits I liked that had not made it into the COMMS Act are that the minister Directed FRIACO and that due regard be given to the USO directive in the EU framework.

The USO directive is a red herring, Muck. A little something I picked up from an FOI request to the department was a speaking note for the Minishter at the Dail Committee Stage of the Comms Bill:

Affordable access to the internet is likely to be addressed when a review of the scope of the universal service obligation applicable to telecommunications is carried out in the coming years. The new Universal Service Directive requires that the scope of the USO be reviewed periodically and that the first review take place two years after the Directive is applied in member states.

[JimHacker]

The "three years" section you refer to is a direct quote from the New Connections document s- it refers to 5mn/sec min always on connections - throughout Ireland - that means EVERY little houseen in the most rural part of the country.

The FRIACO bit is clear - ComReg must act - if they cant act (which the CAN) they must specity within 1 month the powers they need to act.


I think we need a petition to ComReg now - pressure from day one - telling them to use the Direction to deliver FRIACO within amonth.

[JimHacker]

The "three years" section you refer to is a direct quote from the New Connections document s- it refers to 5mn/sec min always on connections - throughout Ireland - that means EVERY little houseen in the most rural part of the country.

The FRIACO bit is clear - ComReg must act - if they cant act (which the CAN) they must specity within 1 month the powers they need to act.


I think we need a petition to ComReg now - pressure from day one - telling them to use the Direction to deliver FRIACO within amonth.

[yellum]

/me awaits how Etain will twist this to still favour Eircom

[JimHacker]

Of course she will -
Look - as I see it - no Minister has ecer come out as strongly on our side - even in the UK when Govt pressure was put on the regulator it was done in an off-the-record fashion - (obviously that didnt work with Etain as she's So pro EIRCOM) -


We have the Minister on-side - NOW LETS PRESSURISE on ETAIN AND COMREG

[Dustaz]

Think you meant to hit reply jim, thread merged