Gov. launches new Broadband Awareness Website

viking

http://www.broadbandaware.com/

The Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey T.D., today launched Ireland's first all-island broadband awareness campaign. The campaign comprises a series of four television adverts that seek to promote the benefits of broadband to both home and business users.
The adverts will run during peak viewing time for the rest of the year and are supported by a website www.broadbandaware.com which will give further information and guidance depending on the user's location.
Commenting at the launch of the campaign Minster Dempsey said: "This campaign will air on a cross-border basis and is yet another example of what can be achieved when two bodies with similar goals work together to tackle a common challenge."
"Broadband is now available to over three quarters of the population in Ireland, however there is clearly a need to promote the use of broadband am! ong the general public. This campaign will achieve that," continued the Minister.
Minister Eagle said "This advertising campaign highlights the benefits broadband can deliver, not only for businesses but for all aspects of life."
"Broadband places small and medium enterprises at the centre of the on-line economy allowing them to trade on an international basis irrespective of their location. We can use broadband in our day-to-day lives, for learning, health, shopping and entertainment. I want to encourage everyone fully to utilise broadband and take advantage of the services it can deliver."

damien

500k being spent by DCMNR on this.

Sponge Bob

damien.m wrote:

500k being spent by DCMNR on this.

On that website , was it tendered <cough> ????????

viking

Sponge Bob wrote:

On that website , was it tendered <cough> ????????

I'd imagine the bulk of that half million figure will be spent on peak-time TV advertising over the next 6 or so months.

The adverts will run during peak viewing time for the rest of the year and are supported by a website www.broadbandaware.com

DonegalMan

viking wrote:

"Broadband is now available to over three quarters of the population in Ireland" continued the Minister.

Nice way of hiding the fact that it's 100% in the North and little over 60% in the South.

damien

http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9728109.html

smellslikeshoes

Cant help but think that they could have spent the money on enabling exchanges. In My opinion theres no reason why this small amount of extra information shouldnt have been put on http://www.broadband.gov.ie rather than making an extra site.

DonegalMan

damien.m wrote:

http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9728109.html

Dempsey has actually confirmed the IOFFL figures:

NI Population = 1.68M (2001 Census) x 99% = 1.66M people who can get Broadband.
RoI Population = 3.92M (2002 Census) x 65% = 2.55M people who can get Broadband

Total population of Ireland = 1.68+3.92 = 5.60M
Total who can get Broadband = 1.66+2.55 = 4.21M

4.21/5.60= 75.2%, just like the Minister said.

Nice to know we were right all along

Hotwheels

Gov. launches new Broadband Awareness Website

I have been Awareness for sometime that I can't get Broadband :mad:
..Ahhh well where did I put me starting handle for the car ????...

Altreab

DonegalMan wrote:

Dempsey has actually confirmed the IOFFL figures:

NI Population = 1.68M (2001 Census) x 99% = 1.66M people who can get Broadband.
RoI Population = 3.92M (2002 Census) x 65% = 2.55M people who can get Broadband

Total population of Ireland = 1.68+3.92 = 5.60M
Total who can get Broadband = 1.66+2.55 = 4.21M

4.21/5.60= 75.2%, just like the Minister said.

Nice to know we were right all along

This might actually "backfire" ...when the full campaign TV starts and a huge number of people start finding that what they are been told they need and is vital for work, education, and even entertainment isnt available in reality they might get an awful lot of very cheesed off voters wondering what the heck is going on!!!
At present its only a relatively small number of people like IrelandOffline that are making noise.
Lets see if people like Kathleen Barrington can do more Accurate incisive reporting to get the ball rolling!!

cgarvey

Added to our website is IoffL's press release on the campaign.

.cg

dahamsta

Dempsey kicks off broadband awareness

[...]

The initiative was welcomed by broadband lobby group IrelandOffline who reminded the Government to keep pressure on the key stakeholders in telecoms to address the 35pc of the population who cannot get broadband.

IrelandOffline vice-chair John Timmons said: “We are concerned the ads might increase the frustration felt by 35pc of people who cannot avail of broadband. We urge the Government to push all stakeholders to speed up rollout so many of those still paying out a fortune for dial-up and satellite can switch to broadband.”

Timmons contrasted the situation in the Republic with that of the North where broadband has reached 99pc availability.

He said of the Republic: “While figures from telcos report on 85pc of lines being enabled, 20-25pc of those lines fail the broadband test, bringing the availability figures down to 65pc.”

This contrasts sharply with the situation up North: “In Northern Ireland the failure rate on enabled exchanges is 0.84pc.

“Of those who fail in Northern Ireland they must be supplied with a wireless or satellite solution for the same price as phone-line broadband,” Timmons said.

IrelandOffline can't say it, so I will: Another cover-up on the part of Gov.ie, another example of Fianna Failures and Progressive Deadbeats flushing taxpayer money down the toilet. "It's demand", they scream, while the rest of the country screams for service.

There are ways to spend money on improving the situation in Ireland. This isn't one of them. Here's one suggestion: Redundancy payments for everyone in ComReg. Disband the "Commission", sack the lot of them. The country will breath a sigh of relief.

adam

Sponge Bob

Of course some poor fool thinking the government is on the ball and and reading through the DEMAND site will THEN be directed to the other DCMNR site which outlines SUPPLY ...thats the disgracefully inaccurate http://broadband.gov.ie/.

To find out whats in his area she (or he) will search for (eg) Moycullen in County Galway and will get a list of ****ty VSAT Satellite providers and NOTHING else.

Yet Moycullen has Bitstream DSL and parts of the parish are well served by Wireless .

Can someone from the department please send me a PM about cleaning up this disgraceful site of yours and making it meaningful .

Maybe linkee poos to the IoffL sponsored DSL coverage map here as well . Its accurate and will save some lazy and geographically challenged jobsworth a load of work

Can somebody PLEASE modify that map. Its now three months old and maybe missing Drumshambo, Co Leitrim .

kaizersoze

Sponge Bob wrote:

Can somebody PLEASE modify that map. Its now three months old and maybe missing Drumshambo, Co Leitrim .

And maybe remove this straggler. It looks like it could be Aughrim which has an exchange but it's not enabled.

Sponge Bob

and the ?? may under moylough which is not enabled either I believe although mountbellew nearby is .

then there is the mystery exchange in connemara which is in the middle of an uninhabited bog , see below

govinda

Sponge Bob wrote:

and the ?? may under moylough which is not enabled either I believe although mountbellew nearby is .

then there is the mystery exchange in connemara which is in the middle of an uninhabited bog , see below

This site also has the Summerhill, Meath exchange as DSL-enabled, which it is not......I mailed the address on the site and got the following back:

******************************************************
"Information" <information@dcmnr.gov.ie>
07/06/2006 11:07
RE: broadband.gov.ie site error


Hi,
We are currently in the process of upgrading the website to use new GIS data, the issue will be rectified shortly.
many thanks
******************************************************

I would have thought they'd have updated broadband.gov.ie before launching this new site (hope springs eternal ;-))

JohnC.

I just saw an ad on TV for this campaign. Some fool sitting at the kitchen table with a laptop assuring us that broadband has a fixed monthly cost and won't give you any nasty surprises on your phone bill. Did nobody tell them about people getting nasty surprises on their phone bill when using the 20 hour/month packages? Or are they admitting that those packages are not actually broadband?

[Edit]
I see it also mentions it on the site, under benefits.
"Because it’s a flat price, you know how much broadband will cost you each month "

And under Terminology
"Broadband services are considered always-on, so this should be the first characteristic to be aware of."