E-net makes €25m investment in next generation access

bealtine

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/21897-e-net-makes-25m-investment/

Open access operator E-net is to create 20 new technical jobs and 30 construction jobs as part of a €25m investment that CEO Conal Henry says will focus on targeting the difficult issue of next generation access in Ireland’s regions.

The company, which is responsible for managing the State’s MAN (metropolitan area network) infrastructure in 94 towns across Ireland, is investing the €25m from its own resources, Henry told Silicon Republic.

“We will invest €2.5m a year over the next 10 years from E-net’s shareholders fund in improving the ability for businesses to connect to the MANs.”

Across Ireland some 38 telcos, including Vodafone, BT, UPC and Imagine, connect to the MANs to enable them to better serve regional cities and towns with fibre access.”

Henry said the key to Ireland’s telecoms future is an open access, carrier neutral and wholesale-only network.

“Putting in a high quality next generation network could generate a 1pc increase in GDP which is the equivalent of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in new taxes for the Exchequer.

“Ireland needs to pick up the pace on this and bring fibre to business and platform solutions in the regions where there are significant opportunities.”

Resolving the access issue and bringing fibre-to-the-premises (FTTH) or fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) represents the most challenging aspect of implementing any next generation network in terms of the logistics and scale of civil engineering required.

Henry's point is key because the MANs are already connected to backhaul networks up and down the country which in turn are connected to global networks. Bringing this scale of connectivity to every town, home and business in the country is a challenge.

The new Government as part of its Programme for Government stated it aimed to achieve 90pc fibre connectivity to premises across the land.

The scale of investment required is the question. Last year, TIF and Analysys Mason revealed a study that estimated rolling out the next-generation broadband infrastructure Ireland needs to be economically viable and relevant in the 21st-century digital economy could be as high as €2.5bn.
Crossing the divide

Henry continued: “The MANs were brought in to bridge the digital divide and we believe they have done a great job in closing the divide.

“Now we’re at a point where the level of fibre in the State is plentiful. The next big battle will be next generation access to allow firms to access fibre-quality broadband and services.

“It’s true Ireland hasn’t done well over the years in the various league tables but I’ve seen broadband quality in other countries, including the heart of Silicon Valley, and they have problems in terms of the access network and if we can crack this early enough there’s a chance for Ireland to get in first and build a magnificent digital economy.”

Henry said the only way Ireland will achieve leadership in the emerging digital economy is to invest in worldclass infrastructure.

“Industry will not be able to do it on its own, State support will be required.”

John Kennedy

lucernarian

What sort of investment exactly do E-net plan to carry out?

bealtine

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

What sort of investment exactly do E-net plan to carry out?

good question...

thegills

Hi Guys,

(I work for e|net as you may already know)
I am not privvy to exactly where the money will be spent but I believe that the investment will primarily be on the following;

1) Fibre connections from the MAN's into the end-customers
2) 3rd Party Backhaul between the MAN's and Dublin
3) Equipment to light both of the above

thegills

ainiseoir

thegills wrote: »

Hi Guys,

(I work for e|net as you may already know)
I am not privvy to exactly where the money will be spent but I believe that the investment will primarily be on the following;

1) Fibre connections from the MAN's into the end-customers
2) 3rd Party Backhaul between the MAN's and Dublin
3) Equipment to light both of the above

thegills

I understand that due to most of this fibre being laid down in the middle of the street that it will cost businesses €70,000 to attach to it!. Some hope!
Many workers are being laid (why do I keep using that word?) off and the rest on short time.
The CEO had admitted that they are bust.
I assume that they have lost the battle in the major urban (cabled) centres.
NGB would appear to be a con-job.
I reckon the outfit should be renationalised for a €1 and get it back to where it was before the asset strippers got their greedy paws on it.
It was too important to be anything other than a Public Utility.

Now,do I get to be the next President? Please?

thegills

it will cost businesses €70,000 to attach to it

- Nowhere near that.

The CEO had admitted that they are bust

- Who is bust??

I reckon the outfit should be renationalised for a €1

- Which outfit?

bk

I think ainiseoir has mixed E-net up with Eircom.

clohamon

thegills wrote: »

Hi Guys,
1) Fibre connections from the MAN's into the end-customers


thegills

Is that an investment or a price reduction for new installations? i.e. the retailers are just charged less for the connection

As I understand it, e|net don't do retail themselves.

Stinicker

How do you get connected to the MAN, I know one business in a fibre town who is having serious connectivity problems with bog standard dsl, yet there is Fibre outside the door. Do e-net deal with it or are they just a neutral infrastructure company. I'm trying to do some research for them as if they could get on Fibre it would cure all their ills. It is a choice of DSL with its pathetic upload or fibre.

oscarBravo

Talk to e-net. They'll tell you which operators (if any) are in a position to provide service on that particular MAN.

Stinicker

Thanks for that Oscar, I'll give them a call tomorrow, hopefully it will work out for them!