85% of exchanges now activated?!!

ethernet · 08-04-2006 8:54pm #1

Yesterday in the Times, I read that 85% of exchanges in the country have been enabled for [A]DSL, following closely behind the European average of 87%.

I, myself, am still waiting for my exchange to be enabled. Quite worried when I see other exchanges out in Connemara being activated before mine!

Actually, a community group had negotiated with eircom to activate our exchange after a survey, highlighting strong interest, was carried out. They backed off. A wireless community scheme was set up instead with ... yes, you've guessed it ... Irish Broadband.

The stats on Irish ISP test don't impress me, especially when it logs them. I ran the test on a PC on a network with ~100 other active PCs with a 1.6 Mbps connection. Much better quality.

Anyway, I'd really love to see all exchanges activated very soon. Surely they have some targets? To do this by the end of the year would be a milestone for eircom.

Laguna · 09-04-2006 1:51am

Even if this is true, I'm sure you're well aware that a lot mor people than not are further than 4.5km from their exchange (upgraded or not), so 85% of exchanges upgraded is nowhere near 85% of people being able to get broadband.

lucernarian · 09-04-2006 8:13am

Yesterday in the Times, I read that 85% of exchanges in the country have been enabled for [A]DSL, following closely behind the European average of 87%.

If those were the words of the Irish Times piece, then that is very shoddy journalism and/or editing. Where the hell did they get those figures from? Even eircom wouldn't dare be that cheeky and say that would they?:p

I don't remember the exact figure but I think at this stage, around 400 or 450 exchanges, out of 1100, have been enabled. It does not take a genius to work out that that is not nearly 85%. That figure doesn't come close to 50% even.

thegills · 09-04-2006 8:36am

The Iish Times haven't a clue when it comes to broadband articles. They seem to glance over articles from other sources and then regurgitate them incorrectly in their own paper.

I remember this article elsewhere and I think it was 485 out of 1100 exchanges but those 485 equate to 85% of the population. eircom are calling on the govenment to fund a push for 100% coverage as in the North.

In relatoin to IBB; I'm in the same boat. eircom ignored us until IBB dlivered our GBS.

thegills

09-04-2006 8:42am

I understand they have activated the Inch exchange in co wexford lately...
It primarally serves the vilage of coolgreany (pop: 1500 aprox)...
But that vilage is a mile and a half from the exchange.
The exchange is on the side of the road in the middle of the country.

Seems silly to me that they wouldnt move it to the population centre

watty · 09-04-2006 8:49am

Of those 85% percent of population the line fail rate for ADSL is VERY high compared with Europe / NI / UK, even for those within the magic 5km distance.

damien · 09-04-2006 9:04am

99.16% pass rate on all phone lines in NI. Every line is connected to an enabled exchange. Bit of a contrast...

Auvers · 09-04-2006 9:59am

Hmmm it sounds like a deliberate attempt to make Eircom share more attractive to potential investors, ahead of the immanent take over by Babcock & Brown. On the other hand, maybe the editor of the Times has shares

BendiBus · 09-04-2006 3:24pm

From an Eircom ad in the SBP today:

To add to our 405 locations, we recently launched another thirty broadband exchanges. This means Ireland's broadband availability is in line with our European neighbours.