[Article] ComReg finds 3G firms not in breach of licences

sceptre · 04-02-2004 3:45am #1

From the Irish Times c/o Jamie Smyth.

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has found that Vodafone, O2 and Hutchison are not in breach of third generation (3G) licence obligations to launch a commercial service by January 1st, 2004.

The decision by ComReg means the companies will not have to pay the Exchequer tens of millions of euros in fines for failing to comply with strict penalty clauses in their 3G licences.

ComReg chairman, Mr John Doherty, told The Irish Times yesterday that the firms were meeting their obligations despite a lengthy delay in making any services available to the public

[...]
Currently, none of the three firms is selling handsets to the public in retail outlets and only a limited number of 3G services are in use by corporate customer.

[...]
In the lead-up to the submission of bids, ComReg said that a commercial launch was: "the time from which the service is publicly announced and offered to the public at defined and published tariffs [typically when test-operations with specifically appointed test-users cease\]."

[...]
"The key ingredient is the ready availability of handsets. We expect in the third quarter of this year these products will be available to buy," he John Dohertysaid. "I think the penalties in the licence are obligations accepted by the companies and clearly we will be enforcing those obligations."

[...]
Reacting to the recent public furore surrounding Eircom's latest hike in line-rental charges, Mr Doherty said ComReg was not being deflected from the business of regulating what was a "fragile" Irish telecoms market.

[...]

Anyone want to argue that a commercial launch has actually taken place when people can't actually walk into a shop and buy a handset? Hands up anyone who can explain what the word "obligation" means. Bonus marks if you work for Comreg and I deem the definition to comply to internationally recognised English. Extra bonus points and a pat on the back if you can do the same with the word "fragile" in the above context.

can you be called a cynic if all you do is point out that a spade is in fact just a shovel?

spongebob · 04-02-2004 11:11am

Originally posted by sceptre
Anyone want to argue that a commercial launch has actually taken place when people can't actually walk into a shop and buy a handset? Hands up anyone who can explain what the word "obligation" means. Bonus marks if you work for Comreg and I deem the definition to comply to internationally recognised English. Extra bonus points and a pat on the back if you can do the same with the word "fragile" in the above context.

can you be called a cynic if all you do is point out that a spade is in fact just a shovel?

You are quite right to be cynical Scep. In defense of the 3G operators I would like to make a few points.

1. The 3G basestation and network kit is a buggy piece of crap .
2. The billing systems are buggy pieces of crap .
3. The handover to and from 2G (where you are out of pure 3G coverage) is a buggy piece of crap .
4. The handsets are such buggy pieces of crap that the shop would be besieged within days of selling them by persons wanting their money back...in full.

The limited deployment (a few hundred handsets in the country, 99% in Dublin Limerick and Dundalk I should think) is early beta testing at best, not a commercial service as per the licence but much of the fault lies with the standard and the equipment vendors rather than the operators. Comreg are right to recognise that in this case.

Had there been a losing bidder for the 3G licences (only 3 companies bid for 4 ISTR) then the issue may be different if an aggrieved losing bidder dragged Comreg to the High Court

for specific non performance. Here we simply have a lethal combination of an inept regulator in combination with an inept bunch of multinational carriers attempting to roll out an inept technology.

It is time for Comreg to bite the bullet and to immediately allow more NLOS services in the MMDS bands , instead of reserving them for tossers like Voodoofone Oh Pooh and Twee G . They conducted a useless and counter productive consultation on the issue last year so its time to revisit it now that Voodoofone and Oh Pooh are not rolling out services in those bands.....indefinitely and thats official.

Nor should Comreg have rolled over to have their bellies tickled like the tame poodle they are given the lack of public spirit shown by Voodoofone and Oh Pooh towards the proposed nomadic system deployment in the GSM 1800 expansion bands early last summer. They should let Meteor roll out the 1EV-DO (or whatever) and bedamned with it.

Nor did that inept and useless regulator get any concessions whatsoever on MVNO support in the GSM or 3G bands from Voodoofone and Oh Pooh.

M

yellum · 04-02-2004 11:36am

Comreg is getting worse. Now they don't even supply lube when they take the Irish consumer and **** them in the ass.

LFCFan · 04-02-2004 11:39am

Have they given a new date for the services to be available or are they just gonna let it happen whenever it happens? Comreg are about as useful as t1ts on a boar!

dahamsta · 04-02-2004 1:09pm

So instead of issuing a statement saying "Look, the technology isn't up to scratch yet, we're gonna give some leeway", which everyone in the know would respect, they issue a load of guff saying "Actually, $this doesn't mean $this, it means $that." That is, complete horseputty.

It's looking more and more likely that John Doherty is going to run ComReg in exactly the same way as Etain Doyle. Is the quarterly review out yet? That should be a hoot.

adam

[Article] ComReg finds 3G firms not in breach of licences

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