BT To supply 100% (Universal) BB in NI by Next Year.

spongebob

BT actually competed with 26 OTHER companies in a competition sponsored by the Dept of Enterprise and were announced as the preferred bidder yesterday.

Story Here on the Reg . Completion date 2005 . Thats 100% Population Coverage for BB in Norn Iron by 2005 . By 2007 Eircom will have about 250 out of 1100 exchanges covered. Thats about 80% population coverage (given that its scabby ADSL not sexy ADSL2 or ER-ADSL . The geographic coverage in the South will be even worse , about 20% by 2007. It is currently about 14-16% for ADSL while Eircom refuse to supply wireless BB on the 3.5 GHz spectrum they licenced to do just that.

The Government in NI held firm , they recognised that 100% of exchanges does not mean 100% of the population.

"Although the DETI had initially considered accepting a figure lower than 100 percent availability, a spokesperson for the DETI told ElectricNews.Net that the contract with BT would provide 100 percent coverage for the region. Those areas where ADSL is not technically viable would be covered by other technologies, such as wireless broadband. The exact mix of ADSL, wireless and other technologies is not specified. The spokesperson said that the DETI "hadn't been prescriptive."

Now I s' pose I'll have to explain what the words 100% and Universal mean to Ripwave again .
M

Capt'n Midnight

So much for the Govt attempt to get us into the top 10 OECD by 2005.

What is the chance of ESAT BT being allowed to do the same here - same rules as in NI of course - and if allowed to would they do for us what they do up north ?

In fairness BT had a lot of scope to roll out this since they wholesale ADSL at a decent margin - none of your eircom 8% discount with a break even in 16 months and probability of phasing out the discount over the next few years.

iwb

BT owns the local loop in NI whereas EsatBT doesn't here. It also probably has the most extensive fibre network and backhaul/backbone.
If the equivalent were to happen here, it would be eircom doing it.

Capt'n Midnight

There is no way I can see Eircom doing it under present management. And as for Govt funding - seeing as how they are asset stripping and selling off all that would happen is the current shareholders will get more money.

JHMEG

A lot of things about NI are heavily subsidised by the British Govt, for obvious reasons (i.e. to try keep everyone happy).

A fairer comparison would be between the Republic and say England, and afaik, BT aint aiming for 100% coverage there...

wexfordman

JHMEG,

Are you putting forward a strategy for getting Rural BB subsidy ??????

Wexfordman

JHMEG

LOL!

Believe me, I have an eircom line and netsource for DSL. I find the latter fine, but if I had *any* choice I would get rid of eircom in a flash, and I detest being dependent on them... (or any one company for that matter, eg ntl)