the time is now or never

bealtine

In light of the shocking announcement that 3 have the NBS it is probably time for the people of this board to re-organize themselves into a semblance of IoffL v2.

Our country needs more advanced thinking than this. We need FTTx, even to the cabinet is better than some poxy 3g solution.
I'll leave the tech heads to explain how useless 3g is as a broadband solution, suffice to say I had it once and had to get rid of it promptly as it was utterly useless. It's ok for sending the odd email while sitting out having a picnic or a quick bit of browsing while impressing the girl du jour, it is not a permanent solution to our broadband woes, especially in rural areas where other factors are likely to come into play (distance from mast, weather etc).
Furthermore the OECD do not classify 3g as broadband so for the DECNR to classify this as broadband is like classifying a mini as a sports vechicle. Who do they think they are fooling?

Competition is a major force is driving the uptake of products but is this competition, is this not just a handy dandy solution to make Ryan look like he actually did something? This solution will do nothing for the price, the availability and the speeds of broadband in ireland, will we forever be stuck in 1990.


The horse may have bolted but we can still close the stable door and make Ryan answer some questions and be accountable for his decisions and keep the spotlight on the lack of real broadband in Ireland...

Come on guys!

bealtine

Here is the PR:

3 - a Hutchinson Whampoa company - appointed Preferred Tenderer for the National Broadband Scheme
.
Dublin, 25 November, 2008

Communications Minister, Eamon Ryan today announced that “3”, a Hutchinson Whampoa company, have been selected as the Preferred Tenderer for the National Broadband Scheme. This follows the conclusion of a competitive tendering process.

The National Broadband Scheme will deliver broadband to those areas of the country currently unserved. Following 3’s appointment as Preferred Tenderer today, work will be finalised on the contract in the coming weeks, with a final announcement expected upon completion of the contract matters next month.

Commenting on the appointment, Minister Ryan said: “I am delighted to announce that I have appointed 3 as the Preferred Tenderer for the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). It is imperative that we have universal broadband coverage in Ireland, for foreign investment, for competitiveness and for our own businesses and householders.

Broadband availability will be central to our economic recovery.”

ENDS


For further information, please contact:

Press Office
Department of Communications, Energy &
Natural Resources

Phone - 01 6782441 / 087 7708631

Email - press.office@dcenr.gov.ie

mumhaabu

I will certainly join as I have long lobbied for Broadband and have technical expertise in the field. This is a disastrous decision and no doubt was done as ass covering by Eamon Ryan and it probably saw a large chunk of the already small budget diverted into the Green Swindle.

I now have far more respect for FF than the Greens and I hope they annihilated in the next election.

cgarvey

mumhaabu wrote: »

I now have far more respect for FF than the Greens and I hope they annihilated in the next election.

I seriously doubt this decision wasn't rubber stamped by FF, because of its significance.

Oh for the GBS now, eh?!

trekkypj

Well I will do what I can to help.

But really, what is needed is to get the EU to invest in a fibre network to get all households in Ireland, wired for next gen broadband.

The Irish Govt won't do it. Eircom is too broke and too blinkered to do it. Nobody else can do it by themselves.

Get the EU to provide funds, however, and watch the fibre light up all over the country.

That's the only way it will happen this century.

I think thats what campaigners should agitate for. Cut the ineffective DCMNR out of the loop altogether. They couldn't get drunk in a distillery.