Broadband for eight midland towns

thebman

From RTE.ie:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0530/broadband.html?rss

Broadband connectivity is to be available in eight towns in the mid-west and midlands by the end of the year.

The news comes following the announcement by Shannon Broadband Ltd to award a contract which will oversee the laying of 52km of broadband cable in the next six months.

The company was set up in 2003 as a public sector regional telecoms company to ensure that regional towns got their share of broadband roll out.

lucernarian

Very interesting. They got Clarke comms to do the work. Often do digging work for Eircom and E-net as it stands. I'd say that contract was rather pricey.

A good mix of towns there. Pity the report is so lacking in detail. Do they realise in RTE that if it's like the MAN in Kiltimagh, they will be just be fibre optic cables in the ground and will have no purpose in existence?? Was there any details about how these places would connect to each other, if not the internet at large?

How in the name of all that's holy will Kilrush get the backhaul for this?? At least a fibre cable to Abbeyfeale would also serve Newcastle West on the way. It would be good though if fibre was used to connect to the ESB network for example. That sort of connectivity would be pretty beneficial to the local economy I'd imagine.

Edit: Did a bit of digging around and a phone call and I got this: http://www.tipperarystar.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3162&ArticleID=2906461 Some interesting mentions on the backhaul about wireless connections and a national tender for a wireless tower network of some description.

watty

The new fibre will mean cheaper backhaul for wireless operators. But won't do anything for wired broadband. If eircom wholesale had to sell their backhaul at a reasonable european price there would be no need for this. It's largely duplication of what eircom has?