How will we access the new Midlands Broadband network?

vinnyfitz · 14-09-2004 1:04pm #1

So Dermot is launching again today as per release below.

Can someone explain to me the series steps required (and problems to be resolved) before an ordinary midlands resident will be able to access broadband in thier home thanks to this investment?

Dermot Ahern Opens Midland Broadband - DCMNR Press Release
75 km network to go live in five towns across four counties Dublin, Tuesday, 14th September, 2004 Dermot Ahern, T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, today opened the new €12 million broadband network in the Midlands which is expected to go live within four weeks.

The Midlands project involved the laying of high speed networks in Tullamore, Portlaoise, Athlone, Mullingar and Roscommon. Work on rolling out the 77 km of network began last Summer and is now completed. The network will be managed and sold on by a Limerick company E-Net to telecommunication companies who will sell on services to business, industry and consumers at competitive prices. The network is part of the
€65 million national broadband initiative, which is 90% funded by the Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, is co-funded by the EU under the European Regional Development Fund.

The Midland kilometres reach for each of the towns is as follows:

Athlone
17 Km

Mullingar
18 Km

Portlaoise
19 Km

Tullamore
13 Km

Roscommon
10 Km

Minister Ahern said: “A total of over 77 kilometres of ducting have been laid in the five towns, with over 400 access chambers located close to all of the commercial and business areas, technology parks, hospitals and schools in and around the towns. “

Over the 15-year term of the contract, E-Net will operate as a wholesaler of access to the networks, and will offer a full suite of broadband products from ducting to high-level managed capacity. The company expects to employ up to 120 people both directly and indirectly on this project.

Minister Ahern added, “The effects of Ireland’s economic revolution in the past decade can be seen all around, in new buildings, new roads, new shopping centres and new industries. There is, however, a more dramatic revolution going on, namely the broadband revolution.”

“Broadband is, for us, as dramatic a change as going from the steam age to the space age in one jump. If any of you have not had the broadband experience, I would urge you to do so - you literally do not know what you are missing.”

“Today’s opening send a clear message to any investor that these Midland towns are an ideal location for inward investment. These vibrant communities now have a modern, high-speed, low-cost communications network. I have no doubt that when inward investment decisions are being made in foreign boardrooms, the fact that these five towns have this network will certainly influence any decision-making process.”

· The Minister also visited the new community broadband exchange in
Athlone. Community broadband exchanges (co-location) provide a gateway at existing exchanges to the national broadband network, allowing all providers access to the network.

ENDS.

Dangger · 14-09-2004 1:17pm

These are the very questions that should be put to George McGrath, COO - E-Net whose company was awarded the Managed Service Entity contract.

He will be on the panel tonight at FirstTuesday's event -'Irish telecoms forum - Developing a competitive Irish Telecom sector'

Chairman:

Mal Murphy - Independent Consultant

Panellists:

John Doherty, Chairman - ComReg
Oisin Fanning, Managing Director - Smart Telecom
George McGrath, COO - E-Net
Donal Hanrahan, General Manager - Aurora Telecom
Iain MacDonald, Managing Director - Perlico

Date: Tuesday September 14th
Venue: The Merrion Room, RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Registration: Between 6.00pm-6.30pm
Admission: Euro20

Anyone going along?

spongebob · 14-09-2004 7:10pm

vinnyfitz wrote:

So Dermot is launching again today as per release below.

Can someone explain to me the series steps required (and problems to be resolved) before an ordinary midlands resident will be able to access broadband in thier home thanks to this investment?

The Midlands project involved the laying of high speed networks in Tullamore, Portlaoise, Athlone, Mullingar and Roscommon. Work on rolling out the 77 km of network began last Summer and is now completed. The network will be managed and sold on by a Limerick company E-Net to telecommunication companies who will sell on services to business, industry and consumers at competitive prices.

The Midland kilometres reach for each of the towns is as follows:

Athlone
17 Km

Mullingar
18 Km

Portlaoise
19 Km

Tullamore
13 Km

Roscommon
10 Km

[/i]

You Rent a ring first on the local Man , no less than that .

Its €2 per Metre per Annum so that answers are

Athlone
17 Km
€34,000
Mullingar
18 Km
€36,000
Portlaoise
19 Km
€38,000
Tullamore
13 Km
€26,000
Roscommon
10 Km
€20,000

Then you sort out some backhaul somehow, an internet port, and dig from the house to the nearest Hole (access chamber) on the MAN . All very simple and ticekty boo.

HTH

M

oscarBravo · 14-09-2004 7:15pm

...or you can have 100Mbit ethernet to the e-net PoP for €25k per annum. You still need to sort out backhaul from there, though.

You don't need to rent a full ring, just enough to get from your premises to wherever the backhaul drop is on the ring - probably the PoP again.

vinnyfitz · 14-09-2004 11:13pm

Ah come on lads - Oscar and Muck in particular.
I know you are telling the truth but for a poor gobsheen like me...

Spell it out in simple lingo. If I'm living a few KM outside Mullingar and my copper pair can't carry DSL.... What's my chances and what are the costs to be paid and/or shared?:

1. Some entrepreneur has to do what? which costs him or her how much in (a) rental to E-net? and (b) capital expenditure, leaving aside (c) current costs?
2. Then they invest in how much more cap ex to deliver this service to me by (a) wire? or (b) wireless? so that
3. It can cost me maybe "z" per month to avail of the product.

In other words what is the product cost structure? Is it plausible that it will work as a residential "competitor" to eircom?
Or to put it another way - is it realistic to argue I can shop around for a product like this now in the Midlands? Pace Minister Aherne today.

spongebob · 14-09-2004 11:19pm

The entry level cost is too high at present save for a very high capacity line above 45 Mbits or so.

If you want to break out onto copper Eircom .....with the full connivance of Comreg.....will rob you on LLU costs to get your alt.dsl into the exchange to access the copper

Forget copper . It has rotted for years and is now too costly to replace.

Welly some wireless out of Mullingar .

M

vinnyfitz · 14-09-2004 11:39pm

Muck wrote:

Welly some wireless out of Mullingar .

M

Right so, how much would that cost? Give me a pricing model that explains it from the state investment through to my hypothetical home please.

spongebob · 14-09-2004 11:42pm

Find out from Enet if a Telco is taking capacity on the ring , the Telco will have 45-100Mbits

Have you contacted your local WISP Lastmile , PM Viking about this too ?

M

How will we access the new Midlands Broadband network?

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