Noel tries to divert GBS funding to Eircom

Sponge Bob

Noel slips FUD to Silicon Republic.

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single6661

It has emerged that out of 119 Group Broadband Schemes (GBS) approved by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, a mere 30 are up and running. Out of €25m provided to support the scheme, less than €4m has actually been drawn down by community groups due to unanticipated administrative and technology pressures associated with running regional networks.

Wrong. Noel has not paid out all the money that he owes these operators. Some GBS phase 1 schemes are fully up and running and unpaid . Noel insists on auditing them first but refuses to send the auditors down to check they are up and running . Therefore they have received nothing. Noel and Pierre have plans to pull money back for eircom . Auditors will not go down the country to check eircom coverage assurances I can assure you of that

Unaudited is not the same as not up and running ! Cough up Dempsey

jwt

Sponge Bob wrote:

Therefore they have received nothing.

Nothing?

What about the initial outlay of cash on signing of paperwork once GBS is live?


John

Sponge Bob

jwt wrote:

What about the initial outlay of cash on signing of paperwork once GBS is live?

Many schemes have received nothing. While I am not saying that all 119 are live or semi live and _should_ therefore have received something it is known that some functioning and compliant GBS schemes are not being funded as promised because the department refuses to disburse without checking locally on them (not a bad idea if done promptly) and simply will not send its lackeys off to check these compliant schemes.

Furthermore the lackeys are saying that they will show up , next month or the month after but that they may not disburse then ...preferring to schedule another visit next year or something and then maybe they will disburse.

This ongoing uncertainty over cashflow will keep some smaller operators out of GBS 3 and thats the big plan really

This will free up funds, in an election year, for Noel to subsidise his new mate Pierre and with no agreed service levels. If eircom want to enable an exchange with 100% line failures Noel will fund them and will disburse the spondulicks once the exchange is 'live' no questions asked.

As we also know he will not answer questions from his Committee in the Dáil either which is why the Chairman, Noel O Flynn , has been leading a backbenchers revolt this past while because of the "arrogance" of ministers.......exhibit A is probably the set of 35 questions sent to Noel and ignored ever since .

What a simply diabolic state of affairs , and who is suffering ?? , Rural Ireland and its infrastructure deficit.

Xian

For the record, as this article is just a puff-piece for Azotel's WISP-in-a-box product in which I'm quoted out of context, I've nothing to do with it. It's one of two jobs I wouldn't trust them with.

uncle_sam_ie

I received an e-mail from our GBS saying they had reservations and were thinking of pulling out.


"Hello Billy and community groups,

Building a broadband network is an expensive business. To get a proper service to the communities in question an investment of at least €650,000 to €1,000,000 is required. I have investors , along with myself, who have expressed interest in investing in the broadband network. However we have some reservations in putting money into a market that appears to have numerous irregularities both at a national and local level. On saying that the following is in place...

1. Site agreements with Coillte forrestry at Charleville and
Mallow.
2. Agreement with national backbone carrier to carry traffic to
network
operating centre in Dublin.
3. Agreement for International connectivity in Dublin to world wide
web.
4. Technology suppliers for end user equipment , wireless point to
point
links , network interface to national fibre and network
management software
for traffic management and billing. ( The technology suppliers are
continually changing tact especially in the much lauded WiMax
frequency
band of 3.5Ghz ).
6. Application for 3.5Ghz licenses with ComReg.
7. In house personnel and contractual installers for end user
equipment
installation , network build and support.


The above may not be of interest to the end user , as an end user just wants the service at a good price no matter how it is delivered. However before a service is delivered a good foundation is required to build on. There is no point in building the network without a good foundation, as has been seen in recent months with other broadband service providers. I can understand the frustration felt by those waiting for a broadband service to be delivered and it seems that months are flying by with nothing happening. On saying that, I will not provide a broadband service until everything is properly in place and therefore cannot give you a definite time for launch.
This is the present position."





I guess they can see the writing on the wall. It looks like Noel wants to get as many exchanges upgraded as he can. Then when the election comes around he can claim the country has 95% coverage, but lack of demand is why we doing so poorly.

Sponge Bob

Xian wrote:

For the record, as this article is just a puff-piece for Azotel's WISP-in-a-box product in which I'm quoted out of context

Of course, the opening paragraph leaked by the DCMNR is the highlight of it.

damien

You've got proof this was leaked by DCMNR?

Sponge Bob

damien.m wrote:

You've got proof this was leaked by DCMNR?

There is no press statement!

Nobody else has the figures ( 30 out of 119) available.

If there is no press statement and nobody else has the figures then ITS A LEAK !!!!!

Alternatively their trusty carrier pigeon went for a dump on its way to Cavan and was run over by an Eircom Winback person in his van. It could have leaked that way.

viking

Sponge Bob wrote:

If there is no press statement and nobody else has the figures then ITS A LEAK !!!!!

Its also possible that SR FOI'd the info from the DCMNR.

You never know....

Sponge Bob

Its not on their FOI page either

bminish

jwt wrote:

Nothing?

What about the initial outlay of cash on signing of paperwork once GBS is live?
John

Haven't seen any of that