New policy direction by Ahern

eircomtribunal

From the new policy directive: "The Goal is to be at or better than the EU average (excluding accession countries) for end-user access to, and usage of, broadband by mid 2005."

Not all our efforts are in vain, after all.

P.

LFCFan

Originally posted by eircomtribunal
From the new policy directive: "The Goal is to be at or better than the EU average (excluding accession countries) for end-user access to, and usage of, broadband by mid 2005."
P.

So it's gone from every home having 5Mbit access by 2005 to this!

thegills

This means nothing as the goalposts could be moved again. As a matter of interest what will the average for end user access be when all the new countries join, less that 5% I would say. It's still a long way short of the top decile as promised a couple of years back.
I wish they would stop using the words 'broadband' too and replace with say 512Kb/s etc.

richardo

I wish they would stop using the words 'broadband' too and replace with say 512Kb/s etc.

For some of us, 56Kb/s would class as broadband! I'm lucky if I get over 30

eircomtribunal

Originally posted by LFCFan
So it's gone from every home having 5Mbit access by 2005 to this!

The chance of that happening and the chance of Ireland reaching the first 10 percent of OECD countries has long been squandered.

While it is only a policy directive, it is at least one that is based on reality. And by excluding the new entrants from the equation, it is actually a goal that is very hard to achieve.

All future ComReg Quarterly Reports will be examined as to how Ireland is doing on the way up from second last to the middle position.

"end-user access to" that'll mean pricing and coverage. ComReg have so far not published fair comparisons with our European neighbours. Of course ConReg will try to fudge the issue by comparing an eircom 4 gig capped rate adaptive "512kb/s" dsl with an uncapped European adsl product, adding in the fixed line cost of other countries and forgetting to input the Irish line rental into the equation, but they will no longer come away with their old trickery.
Coverage: Europe is gearing up to reach 90 to 95% bb coverage. ComReg have so far not dared to publish figures on Irish bb coverage, other then repeating some dodgy Eircom claims.

"usage of, broadband by mid 2005." To get Irish bb usage up to the average European level will need more action from Comreg than publishing the usual hyped misinformation about the fantastic growth of Irish bb.

P.

spongebob

Broadband is technology supporting AT LEAST 512k. That is what the Oireachtas committee said in their report last week. That is the definition of BB in the Universal BB access plan ....for every household...... in NI.

The bulk of Eircoms customers are on the Rate Adaptive 512k product , either direct or on wholesale. As we all know in here that is an UP TO 512k product and not a guaranteed NO LOWER THAN 512k product.

It is actually a guaranteed NO LOWER THAN 256k product and therefore not BB by any acceptable comparative methodology. The base BT product in the UK is a 512k product as I understand it.

Once you remove this crud from the equation there are fewer than 10,000 Broadband connections in Ireland......although about 10,000 RADSL customers could be locked into the highest rate with no downward negotiation possible which means that Eircom could double their connections overnight when it comes to quarterly report time in Comwreck.

I feel Dermie should give Comwreck a directive on 512k , in the interests of clarity. Comwreck can report the slower or adaptive RADSL as Midband from now on.

M

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by eircomtribunal
From the new policy directive: "The Goal is to be at or better than the EU average (excluding accession countries) for end-user access to, and usage of, broadband by mid 2005."

Not all our efforts are in vain, after all.

P.

Depending on how you look at a statement like that, it could mean that the aim of Comreg is to be at or better than the European average of broadband rollout at the moment by 2005.

In other words, we could reach the current European average in one year. Which in itself is unlikely.

€65 a month (inc. line rental which I have no use for) is too much for broadband.

eircomtribunal

Originally posted by Raskolnikov
Depending on how you look at a statement like that, it could mean that the aim of Comreg is to be at or better than the European average of broadband rollout at the moment by 2005.

In other words, we could reach the current European average in one year. Which in itself is unlikely.

Judging by current progress and current ComReg attitude and "effectiveness" it is indeed unlikely for Ireland to achieve the 2004 European bb average.
But there is no way your interpretation of the directive could be taken. Mid 2005 European average means mid 2005 average.

I suppose ComReg are already studying the figures and trying to figure out how they can define "end-user access" and "usage of broadband" in a way to be able to fudge the comparison.
They will curse the (excluding accession countries) bit in the directive.

Thanks Muck, for spotting the New entrants issue in the draft and siliconrepublic for taking it up from Comwreck and thanks Dermot for including the bracket bit.

P.

PS. Here's the bb part of the directive of 26th March 2004

Policy Direction No. 2

i. Broadband
a) Reason for direction: The development of broadband is a key enabler to enhance and maintain Ireland’s economic and social development. It is important that the regulatory environment underpins the development of available, affordable and competitive broadband services.

b) Policy direction
ComReg shall use regulatory and enforcement tools, where necessary and subject to relevant requirements under European and National law, to support initiatives to develop broadband and remove regulatory barriers, if any exist, to such initiatives. In encouraging the further rollout of broadband ComReg shall have a particular focus on:
• the residential and SME sectors;
• balanced regional development and;
• potential for broadband provision on alternative platforms.

The Goal is to be at or better than the EU average (excluding accession countries) for end-user access to, and usage of, broadband by mid 2005.