Irish govt shortlists 4 firms for broadband scheme

bealtine

Irish govt shortlists 4 firms for broadband scheme
Published: Monday 3 September 2007


The Irish government has shortlisted four candidates for its scheme to bring broadband services to under served areas. The four candidates for the next stage of the National Broadband Scheme are BT Ireland, Eircom, mobile operator 3 and a IFA/Motorola consortium. They will present their plans to the communications ministry, with a winner to be selected in early 2008. The government has set aside spectrum for possible wireless services under the scheme, while the winner will also receive financial support for rolling out its network.


[anybody know more?]

Sponge Bob

bealtine wrote:

mobile operator 3

fuggoff

thefinalstage

Why the hell are 3 being concidered? They are less than useless and they cannot provide adaquate broadband to rural Ireland.

thebman

No offense intended but none of those operators are any use. I've never heard of IFA/Motorola so I can't comment on them.

smellslikeshoes

Bit of a rag tag bunch, 3 shouldn't even be considered. Anyone know anything about Ifa/motorola consortium? I doubt the Ifa would have the resources necessary so I'm wondering what motorola would be bringing to the table. It pains me to say it, but I think its fairly certain that Eircom will end up getting it within those 4.

watty

IFA = Irish Farmers Assoc.
Motorola = Canopy. good rural coverage, old inefficent slow technology. Unless they using WiMax.
http://motorola.canopywireless.com/

I'd guess these four would be close to number actually applying once you remove the raving loony applications.

I'd suspect some serious companies decided the coverage maps too impossible and conditions of contract too poor.

Anyone doing this will either lose money or not meet the targets.

Nor will it give 100%. More like 75% to 80%, for reasons previously discussed.


The Government has "reallocated" rather than set-aside, spectrum currently Eircom's or that would be offered to ISPs that applied for licences. However it is in the band existing Fixed Wimax, Ripwave or Alvarion Breeze gear can use.

Since many NBS areas are bounded by existing Wireless licences very closely, in those cases the "allocated" spectrum will not be usable.

crawler

Motorola bought Nextnet Wireless (Wimax) used by Clearwire globally, including Ireland. Moto also big investor with Mr McCaw.

damien

Very worrying that these four are best of the bunch, no?

lucernarian

What can BT do that eircom couldn't do at least as cheaply? Seeing as eircom actually own the most widespread telecomms infrastructure in rural areas, BT would have to pay eircom more than it would cost eircom to DSL enable the exchanges themselves. Eircom would want some profit of course.

PixelTrawler

Note the 'revision' of the figure for those unable to get broadband.

Eamon seems to be saying its only 10% now, isnt that mighty all the progress has been made. Every time that figure is thrown out its lower. :rolleyes:

I live in a fairly big estate in Galway city and we were just about able to get BB our line is so poor. Nonsense figures.

Also, as for having those 4 selected, its worrying is all I can say.

bealtine

Joebloggs4817 wrote:

I live in a fairly big estate in Galway city and we were just about able to get BB our line is so poor. Nonsense figures.

The greens should stick to scaring animals and rolling up toilet paper, they should never be in a government where real policies (and balls) are required.

Here's to another 5 years of doing nothing.

PixelTrawler

bealtine wrote:

The greens should stick to scaring animals and rolling up toilet paper, .

Now that just brings funny images to my some what warped mind
- mind you i had similar thoughts when they got elected in the first place...

dahamsta

bealtine wrote:

The greens should stick to scaring animals and rolling up toilet paper

Nice.

transylman

Wow, that 10% figure dosen't sound very credible does it. Even if you take it as 10% of the population and not 10% of the area it still seems very improbable.

I'm still hoping that Eircom don't get it as I am planning to boycott everything to do with them as soon as an alternative is available. Looking at the three, if BT were willing to provide the same level of service as in northern Ireland they would be worth a shot. The IFA/Motorola consortium also has potential as IFA would actually give a damn about rural areas, although I would need to be convinced on their technology.

kaizersoze

The only thing I can see the IFA bringing to the table is Imagine Telecom (their current telecoms partner)*shudder* and/or access to suitable sites for mast locations. The less said about 3 the better, so that leaves BT and Eircom.
I'd be surprised it BT got it but even more surprised if the NBS happens at all.

lucernarian

I wish it wasn't so, but the most likely conclusion for me is the contract being awarded to either three or eircom. And if latency is to be considered, that *should* rule out three. Of course, that ignores all of three's other problems.

Eircom are still favourites to get it IMO...

Sponge Bob

Don't forget '3 never rolled out the network , they have nobody inhouse to do it.

http://www.mobilecomms-technology.com/projects/3_network/

Under another outsourcing contract, '3' has also deployed the services of BT Ireland in the acquisition of mobile station sites and to aid rollout.

lucernarian

Ohh yes. On the maths of it, BT are more likely than the rest to benefit, but I still fancy eircom to take the contract. But can the govt. afford eircom prices?? Or is the amount of money for the GBS set? Or must we wait for December's budget?

SkepticOne

Eircom most likely to get it. Others just for show.

Bad news. We dropped the ball on this one.

bealtine

SkepticOne wrote:

Bad news. We dropped the ball on this one.

What ball? What do you mean?