NBP: National Broadband Plan Announced

Gonzo wrote: »

I reckon your right, the latest 'cut' in NBP estimated spending is taking 300,000 homes and business out of the equation as Eir have 'promised' to handle that. The NBP is now down to approx 400,000 instead of 700,000 premises. I have a feeling that SIRO have no interest in anything remotely rural unless they get government funding, For now I suspect that SIRO will continue to just focus on county towns and larger urban areas.

The reason I included Siro in my estimate was this

The government’s original estimate of 700,000 premises may be cut short by subsequent announcements from Eir and Siro, the joint venture between Vodafone and the ESB. Both companies have indicated that they will cover more rural homes and businesses than originally planned, thus reducing the size of the catchment area envisaged by the state-subsidised National Broadband Plan.

http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/government-shaves-over-200m-off-initial-national-broadband-plan-spend-cut-to-275m-31567889.html

I do not have any other reference for the Siro 'announcement'.

If, between Siro and eir, they have taken 400k premises out of the 700k total, that leaves 300k for NBP.

The gov had promised

€millions ..... Premises

510 .............. 700k

so for 300k premises that would equate to

510/700*300 == 218.57 ..... say 220 million

By now saying the amount is 275 million it does seem that the gov might have increased the € per connection, which would definitely be required as those with easier access have already been taken out of the 700k.

If Siro do not intend to provide service (commercially) to any of the 700k total then the pro-rata figure from gov should be approx
€300 million and not €275 as announced.

In truth, it seems someone has done something right if the required tax payers contribution is falling.

(yes I find that difficult to believe too )

rob808 wrote: »

Well siro are planing on doing small towns and villages in phase 2 so some of them might be in NBP areas which would decrease the NBP foot print.
The thing is we won't know until phase 1 finish siro are slow with annoucement.I say there gona be targeting FTTC areas in phase 2 so probably be a small chance they do adsl exchange in a rural town or village with a small population.

I suppose it is possible they have indicated to gov they will do some of the 700k as a commercial roll out, without releasing the info publicly.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Am I reading things incorrectly, because I see no 'rolling back' of promises.

There was a committment of some €510 million for NBP when the NBP coverage was to have been ~700,000 premises.


Both eir and Siro have indicated that they will (commercially) provide service to a good part of those premises. Eir have said 300,000 I believe, so let us say Siro does an extra 100,000 (to allow for dual supply to some).


So that leaves the gov to support connection to 300k premises and not the 700k.


That surely deserves a reduction in the estimate of the cost of supporting the NBP?

...... or am I misinterpreting things? .....

The allocated funding has been cut in near half. The whole purpose of the government funding was for them to make it viable for development in rural areas, as it would not be viable for two commercial entities to do it.

It's like if you join into a public/private partnership for a bus route. You need the state money to put in place the infrastructure and framework as its a benefit for the state and citizens, and not viable for a private company to do this. But when the framework is put in place, it becomes commercially viable for a private entity to service the area. And the public part is happy a private(and in theory more lean and efficent) body is doing it.

That the funding has been cut in half does not tell to me that it's down to Eir and Siro saying they can handle X amount.

To me it comes across as the government seeing it would be a quicker win to focus on the areas of higher density, and probably where the private companies have outlined there will be higher catchment and benefit.

This government have shut down post offices, Guarda stations and other rural services in low density areas, to focus resourcing and funds to higher density catchment areas.

Let's get real here, they are not going to provide half a billion in funding for broadband in rural areas, when they can't get a police station there and funded.

Coupled with the Finance Minister probably deliverying some reality checks the last month, and seeing where money can be cut on projects so it can be given away in a budget to buy the next general election, this cut in funding to me is VERY MUCH a reigning in of an ambitious but beneficial plan, to revert to the normal Irish political cycle of over promise, under deliver, heres a few quid in the budget, you'll be grand.

As a final point I would say it's entirely possible as you outline, that the commerical arm of this project is upping it's resourcing and catchment, therefore reducing the figures the government has to budget for. And that is very much what the obvious thing is. But there is enough evidence over the course of countless government projects and private partnerships, that it's a total mess and misallocation of resources, and it's usually someone who has gotten a call from the Minister for Finance or Public Expenditure to chill the **** out and reign that **** in.

Not much news in that report. Hoping to see the updated map as soon as possiple

ACLFC7 wrote: »

Not much news in that report. Hoping to see the updated map as soon as possiple

yea me to wanna see if I'm on eir FTTH rollout the blue line end at my gate but doesn't go pass it so fingers crossed I get it.

Gonzo wrote: »

if the line goes as far as your gate then you'll probably get it, are there houses past your gate with no blue line?

yea there house beside me and about 3 others up the road.

dalta5billion wrote: »

Imagine (remember them?) are promoting something on Facebook, implying in the comments it's part of the National Broadband Plan. This can't be true, I don't think it's even gone to tender yet.

https://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153303304140787&id=118081615786

They say they'll be using wireless solutions but are calling it "fibre connect".....
Claiming between 30 and 100 Mbps.
Claim Eir may not even roll out their fibre solution.
Hopefully homes won't get taken out of the NBP because of Imagine.

Interesting... Post has been taken down.

dalta5billion wrote: »

Imagine (remember them?) are promoting something on Facebook, implying in the comments it's part of the National Broadband Plan. This can't be true, I don't think it's even gone to tender yet.

https://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153303304140787&id=118081615786

They say they'll be using wireless solutions but are calling it "fibre connect".....
Claiming between 30 and 100 Mbps.
Claim Eir may not even roll out their fibre solution.
Hopefully homes won't get taken out of the NBP because of Imagine.

The Cush wrote: »

Is this it - https://www.facebook.com/imaginewimax/posts/10153303304140787

****! I live in Kildare and I've seen signs for Imagine near my house in the last 2 weeks. They even mention "National Broadband Plan" in the comments on the Facebook post.
This better not be the long term solution. :mad:

roast wrote: »

Thanks.

Christ!



For them, I'd say so, but this is probably their attempt at proving a concept to submit for tender.

I don't mean to be complaining about 30mbps( depending on coverage) but in 3 or 5 years time I imagine (see what i did there) this will be considered very slow.

What type of stick/antenna combo do you have Tommy?

Gheadphone wrote: »

What type of stick/antenna combo do you have Tommy?

Was no easy task getting reliable speeds out of 3G, Three is just as bad as my local WISP, though their backhaul isn't as bad.
Huawei E3276S-150 factory unlocked with a Poynting XPOL-A0002 antenna. Shortened the cables down to ~20cm to reduce loss through them, took apart the modem and stuck a heatsink to the hottest chips on it. Should be mighty speeds with 4G whenever it rolls in since the modem and antenna work with Three's bands. Problem is that 4G doesnt seem to work with the 3internet APN so I'll get closed NAT on 3ireland instead.

mass_debater wrote: »

How does the monthly data limit compare between them?

Both "unlimited".
NWE - the WISP - claim to be unlimited but start throttling you if you go over 1GB in a day. Even below that 1GB the contention has their service banjaxed down to ~1Mbit or utterly dead at peak.To think these cowboys sell a 50Mbit fixed package as well... :rolleyes:

Three is 20 quid a month for "unlimited" as well, haven't been hit with anything for hammering it with bandwidth.... yet.

Gonzo wrote: »

this is about the last thing that the NBP needs is this outdated wireless rubbish.

yea I think imagine doing what eir doing so many of those houses in Kildare will be out of NBP.:mad: