The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce

croo

I hadn't heard or read anything about this (that I remember anyway), and just saw a reference to it in a written answer to question on kildarestreet.com.

The Question from Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)

Question 133: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when high speed broadband will be available in Stamullen, County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14905/11]

To which the minister (Pat Rabbitte) answered

The provision of broadband services is, in the first instance, a matter for private sector service providers operating in Ireland’s fully liberalised telecommunications market, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Broadband services are provided by a number of private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite. Details of broadband service providers in County Meath are available on ComReg’s Call Costs website at http://www.callcosts.ie/broadband/Broadband_Calculator.175.LE.aspI.

Which I assume looks familiar to all here... but then goes on

Under the NewERA proposals in the Programme for Government to deliver higher broadband speeds, there is a commitment to co-invest with the private sector and commercial Semi State sector to provide Next Generation Broadband to every home and business in the State. Consideration of how best to advance these proposals is being advanced by my Department with other stakeholders across Government.

Additionally, in order to accelerate the development of high speed broadband, my officials have been engaging with industry. The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce (NGBT), which I chair, will consider how best to roll out Next Generation Broadband. The NGBT, which includes representatives of large network owners and smaller telecommunications services providers, will meet shortly to discuss policy and related matters. I expect that the NGBT will be helpful in terms of identifying the optimal policy position to deliver wider customer access to high-speed broadband.

The impression given is that discussion is well underway... so anybody hearing anything?

lucernarian

Some form of future NGB rollout in Ireland will probably involve UPC in a big way considering their much stronger position currently, and will already offer NGB services to over half of the houses in this country probably by the end of this year or sometime in the first half of next year.

I think eircom's contribution over the coming 2 years will be nothing but work on FTTH in Wexford and Stillorgan in Dublin.

Perhaps some meaningful amounts of spectrum will be offered to fixed wireless providers so that speeds approaching 20 mbps will be widely offered. Right now, I only know of one typical wireless broadband offering that offers over 10 mbps, the 12 mbps package from Digiweb Metro. Many regional wireless ISPs offer around 8 mbps as max.

Hopefully LTE rollout in Ireland will be too far into the future to be regarded as a way of delivering NGB across Ireland:(

As for hearing any word on discussions, nothing has reached my ears.

clohamon

croo wrote: »

Additionally, in order to accelerate the development of high speed broadband, my officials have been engaging with industry. The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce (NGBT), which I chair, will consider how best to roll out Next Generation Broadband.

The impression given is that discussion is well underway... so anybody hearing anything?

The first sentence is a general assertion so vague that it is impossible to disprove. The second sentence is unconnected but bizarre in its own right. "Which I chair" - present tense - indicates that something is going on currently, but then we discover that no meeting has yet taken place. Together, the two sentences invite the reader to believe that a lot has been going on in the background and also currently at top level.

When reading any output from DCENR, I keep in mind the description of Justice Moriarty

"inaccurate, selective and misleading"*

*What was conveyed in the draft letter to Mr. Dukes, who of course signed it in utter reliance on the accuracy of its content, was in material respects inaccurate, selective and misleading and, as acknowledged in evidence, should not have been prepared in that form.
.
.
Moreover, in reliance on the principles of confidentiality, the letter failed to disclose that Mr. Desmond was not amongst the “potential investors” identified in the application. In turn, Mr. Dukes was led to communicate that impression to Mr. Molloy, an impression which was inaccurate, selective and misleading. The further consequence of preparing for the Minister a draft letter, in terms that must be viewed as an ex post facto rationalisation of events, was to render Mr. Dukes, a politician of acknowledged experience and eminence, potentially open to having, entirely unwittingly, misled his Dáil colleague on a matter of public importance.

Moriarty Report Part II Chapter 59
http://www.moriarty-tribunal.ie/images/sitecontent_426.pdf

bealtine

clohamon wrote: »

"inaccurate, selective and misleading"*

Nothing seems to have changed in the interim

clohamon

As we speak..

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Faster+Broadband+to+More+Places+Quicker.htm

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Pat Rabbitte, TD, together with his colleague Mr. Fergus O’Dowd, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with responsibility for NewERA, will today convene a high level task force on the roll out of high speed broadband in Ireland.

The Next Generational Broadband Taskforce (NGBT) comprises the CEOs of all of the major telecommunications companies currently operating in the Irish market and CEOs of some Internet Service Provider companies. Its purpose is to discuss how best to deliver the optimal policy environment and to identify a roadmap for the speedy delivery of high speed broadband across Ireland. The Minsters are also keen to accelerate private sector investment in this area of critical importance to economic and social development.
Outlining the aims of the group, Minister Rabbitte said “Delivery of high speed broadband to all parts of Ireland is an essential Government priority. It will underpin economic growth and recovery, as well as providing important dividends in terms of education, health and other social benefits. I am confident that we will see rapid progress. Industry is already investing heavily in this area in Ireland, and our aim is to accelerate this investment. We want to encourage companies to work collaboratively across the sector to maximise the roll out of Next Generation infrastructure without compromising the competition that is so vital for innovation. We also want tease out how the State can support industry delivery without cutting across their investment plans”.
The Taskforce will consider issues such as appropriate targets, investment plans, and the role of Government policy and actions in driving and facilitating investment.
Minister O’Dowd, who has responsibility in relation to the Government’s NewERA plan, said “delivery of high speed broadband throughout Ireland is a key commitment under the Government’s NewERA programme, and will contribute to maintaining jobs and economic recovery by creating the necessary infrastructure to support enterprise investment. The work of the Task force will critically inform how best to deliver on this important policy imperative”.
Both Ministers noted that under the Digital Agenda for Europe, the European Commission has set targets of 30mbps broadband to all citizens and 50% of citizens subscribing to 100mbps by 2020. It also commits to universal broadband provision by 2013. The Government funded National and Rural Broadband Schemes are already delivering on this latter objective. The Ministers emphasised that Government policy is now firmly focussed on the delivery of much faster broadband to all regions in Ireland.
A key focus of Ministers’ discussions with industry will be whether the 2020 targets can be delivered earlier, to develop an ambitious roadmap for high speed broadband in Ireland, and what measures can be collectively and individually taken to deliver on that roadmap.
It is intended that the Taskforce will conclude its work by March 2012.

List of Members of the Next Generational Broadband Task Force
Mr. Pat Rabbitte, TD, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources
Mr. Fergus O’Dowd, TD, Minister of State
Ms. Dana Strong, UPC
Mr. Stephen Shurrock, O2
Mr. Paul Donovan, eircom
Mr. Colm Piercy, Digiweb
Mr. Graham Sutherland, BT
Mr. Jeroen Hoencamp, Vodafone
Mr. Robert Finnegan, “3”
Mr. John Shine, ESB
Mr. Sean Bolger, Imagine
Mr. Conal Henry, e|net
Mr. Aidan Dunning, Secretary General, DCENR
Ms. Katherine Licken, Assistant Secretary

bealtine

clohamon wrote: »

Both Ministers noted that under the Digital Agenda for Europe, the European Commission has set targets of 30mbps broadband to all citizens and 50% of citizens subscribing to 100mbps by 2020. It also commits to universal broadband provision by 2013. The Government funded National and Rural Broadband Schemes are already delivering on this latter objective. The Ministers emphasised that Government policy is now firmly focussed on the delivery of much faster broadband to all regions in Ireland.

The Rural broadband scheme isn't even unveiled yet and it's delivering already? Now that is some achievement...The NBS has 500 pages of issues and complaints in the broadband forum, most seem to refer to the speed of connection and it somehow is delivering too?

Delusional is the only conclusion I can draw from this paragraph.

Mobile can never deliver the required speeds for the Digital Agenda the only way, apart from delusions, is to roll out fibre across the state. Repeating the same old nonsense over and over doesn't make it so or deliver 30mbps throughout the island.

clohamon

No Gas, CIE, Waterways Ireland, RTE. Thats a start.

PogMoThoin

Why are Imagine there?

No Magnet, No Caseyvision. The ones who have actually delivered fibre.

watty

Imagine, O2, Vodafone, 3 and now BT are there to influence the outcome.

BT has abandoned Retail. The CIE fibre was CIE/Esat joint venture. BT wholesales that

Imagine, O2, Vodafone and 3 are unlikely to ever deliver NGN. They would benefit from it for feeding their masts. Any real broadband any of those do is reselling eircom.

Caseyvision is Geographically limited. They show no sign of ever expanding.
Magent is likely to sell of to another ISP for various reasons, their fibre is very geographically limited. Digiweb may have as much now.

lucernarian

I've heard of no fibre rollout from Digiweb since they had that datacentre set up in Dublin and some sort of fibre network around Dublin associated with this. They would have a more widespread fibre network since taking on Smart Telecom but Digiweb have done nothing new with these assets nor have they expanded them in any way that I know of.

I don't think Digiweb Metro has been expanded to any new areas in the past 3 years either. In that time UPC has covered hundreds of thousands of more houses with their broadband services.

watty

Digiweb stopped expansion in 2008 due to the Bank/Developer Meltdown. They won't expand again till the financial climate changes.

UPC will only be upgrading cable area largely. They will not expand beyond traditional Cable areas. UPC are not a national solution.

Nothing will be done by anyone unless there is a major government led initiative that essentially bypasses eircom but uses existing eircom cabinet sites.

lucernarian

UPC will "only" be upgrading cabled areas? Over half of the houses in this country are served by cable and UPC have spent hundreds of millions in upgrading this network, much of which has been spent since Lehmann Bros. hit the wall in September 08. I'm not so sure why Digiweb held back in comparison, and they serve many areas where UPC does not reach.

Certainly, I doubt that Digiweb will be bringing very high speed internet to new areas, whatever about UPC.

Tom Young

Quite short sighted not to invite IBEC TIF and ALTO in as representative groups.

The above companies are not the only ones investing. Many telcos here particularly in the business sectors have no CEOs in Ireland. Typical. This is just precisely the type of short sighted nonsense that has the network in the mess it is already.

Oh well.

clohamon

I would have thought UPC's best strategy is to drive this Task Force into the sand.
(thats if the DCENR officials don't do it first).

clohamon

Minister Rabbitte outlines Broadband Task Force Workplan

Minister addresses Broadband Agenda while switching on* Fibre network in Claremorris, Co Mayo. Work programme of Next Generation Broadband Task Force outlined

Claremorris, 17 June 2011*
Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte T.D. this evening stressed his commitment to the accelerated roll out of high speed broadband as he switched on a Metropolitan Area Network “MAN” in the town.

The “MAN” is government funded broadband fibre infrastructure which will ensure companies in Claremorris can be as well connected to the global communications network as they would be in Dublin or San Francisco.

At the ceremony Minister Rabbitte stressed the Government’s commitment to high speed connectivity nationwide. “Simply put, we want to ensure faster broadband everywhere soon.

“Earlier this week we held the first meeting of a Task Force bringing together the CEOs of all major Telecoms Companies in Ireland to chart the future of high speed Broadband roll out. I was heartened to hear, in outline, the extent of the plans for investment and new technology which the companies are planning.

“Over the next six months the challenge for the task force is to put flesh on those bones. We need to be certain of exactly what minimum broadband speeds we can expect and by what deadlines they will be available. We want to hear about the barriers that telecoms companies encounter in rolling out new services and what Government needs to do to get address those barriers. And we also want to hear views on the best policy environment to ensure maximum investment by the sector. At last Monday’s meeting we agreed to set up working groups to take on these issues over the next few months.

“Clearly the risk of gaps in Broadband coverage is greater in rural regions where low population density makes investment less appealing to private operators. That is why the Government gets involved – by building MANs in towns such as Claremorris and by initiatives such as the National and Rural Broadband Schemes we are ensuring the most remote homes and businesses in the state can access basic broadband.

The Minister noted that his Department is accepting applications for the Rural Broadband Scheme until 29 July.

“Having achieved at least a basic broadband service available to almost every premises Ireland, we now need to work closely with industry to accelerate the roll-out of high speed broadband to every region. This is a clear policy priority”, Minister Rabbitte said.

A workplan indeed.

clohamon

From todays Irish Times after the announcement of the Network Investment.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2011/0729/1224301561129.html

Mr Donovan had previously expressed the hope that other players in the industry would collaborate in upgrading its network.
But none has yet stepped forward to do this.
“What I haven’t had is anyone saying they want to co-fund the build,” he said.

spankalish

clohamon wrote: »

A workplan indeed.

Claremorris? You must be joking. I live 4 miles from claremorris where I am connected to eircom 8mb ngb and what I get is 512kb. I'v rang up eircom and told them. Where they upped it to 1mb and after 5 weeks it dropped back to 312kb they have me capped at 512kb now. Their a complete joke. Im going to ring them up tomorrow and cancel broadband with them since their internet site wont let me sign in. They just dont deliver what they say. Id say that MAN thing is mainly for businesses. Dont think it effected houses in the area too much.

oscarBravo

spankalish wrote: »

Id say that MAN thing is mainly for businesses. Dont think it effected houses in the area too much.

It didn't affect them in any way, shape or form. It's a fibre network. Your broadband is DSL. There's no connection.

clohamon

Neelie Kroes's head of cabinet Anthony Whelan was in town yesterday to meet members of the Taskforce, and presumably give them a sniff of the €9.2Bn on offer.

Speaking following a meeting between EU Commission delegates and the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce, the Minister for Communications Mr. Pat Rabbitte, T.D. welcomed a special briefing, on future EU/European Investment Bank funding initiatives to the members of the Task Force, noting that the briefing was very timely given the announcement last week of proposals from the European Commission on guidelines for the implementation of European energy and communications infrastructure priorities. The Connecting Europe Facility proposes a package, within the EU’s Multi-Annual Financial Framework Budget 2014-2020, of €40 billion to secure greater investment in energy, transport and ICT projects that will bring greater interconnectivity across Europe and provide better access to the Internal Market. One of the main purposes of the package of proposals is to end the isolation of certain ‘economic islands’. €9 billion of the facility is to be allocated to telecommunications projects.
The Minister added, “The proposals from the European Commission will provide the impetus to complete the Internal Market in both energy and communications. Under this facility a budget of €9.2 billion is available for projects aimed at ensuring that every European will have access to fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020. The proposed funding is designed to catalyze and complement private investment in the roll out of broadband and to stimulate the roll out of a digital service infrastructure. This is a very welcome development for Ireland at a time when industry and Government are working together, through the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce, to design a roadmap to accelerate the roll out of high speed broadband.”
The meeting with the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce was organized as part of the EU Commission’s Going Local II series of visits to Member States. The Going Local visits are an annual event, with this year’s visit focused on the progress Ireland has made in meeting targets under the Digital Agenda as well as identifying challenges for the future and stimulating actions and commitments. The delegation was led by Mr. Anthony Whelan, Head of Cabinet to Ms. Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Digital Agenda.
Minister Rabbitte outlined the work being done across a number of Government Departments in meeting the targets under the Digital Agenda and the good progress Ireland has made to date and highlighted in particular how a first milestone of basic broadband service for all subscribers will be met well in advance of the target date of 2013. ‘Of course, this in itself creates a challenge in how we ensure widespread digital engagement, how we promote the use of broadband by everyone in society, the Minister added.
He noted that the delegation had earlier in the day met with groups from the business world and the community & voluntary sector who are involved in digital inclusion initiatives at an event hosted by Google. This visit focused on three key elements of his Department’s e-Inclusion policy - promoting citizen engagement; getting more small businesses on-line and introducing technology to charity organisations to improve efficiencies, customer service and reporting.


http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Minister+Rabbitte+welcomes+EU+Commission+Telecoms+specialists+to+Dublin.htm

So why wasn't there an invitation sent to Ireland's leading broadband advocates, Ireland Offline? - the only group who have credible plans to make good use of EU money.

bealtine

clohamon wrote: »

Minister Rabbitte outlined the work being done across a number of Government Departments in meeting the targets under the Digital Agenda and the good progress Ireland has made to date and highlighted in particular how a first milestone of basic broadband service for all subscribers will be met well in advance of the target date of 2013. ‘Of course, this in itself creates a challenge in how we ensure widespread digital engagement, how we promote the use of broadband by everyone in society, the Minister added.

The usual oul ****e from a Minister that really doesn't understand his brief, if his exact word for word parroting of Eamon Ryan's press releases, is anything to go by. Shameful that a Minister can't think for himself and lets his civil servants write all the replies and speeches and they are too lazy to even change the slightest thing.

So why wasn't there an invitation sent to Ireland's leading broadband advocates, Ireland Offline? - the only group who have credible plans to make good use of EU money.

Who knows:)

bealtine

clohamon wrote: »

Neelie Kroes's head of cabinet Anthony Whelan was in town yesterday to meet members of the Taskforce, and presumably give them a sniff of the money

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/24190-ireland-to-tap-eu-9bn/

Rabbitte is just pimping the same nonsense that Ryan was pimping.