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Competition to create universal coverage.

  • 22-11-2011 5:57pm
    #1
    clohamon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭


    Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív:     I am asking a question. Will the Minister set minimum coverage requirements to be sought by ComReg to ensure there will be a universal service throughout the State, or will he be the agent adding to the digital divide within the country?

    Deputy Pat Rabbitte:     I am reluctant to agree with the Deputy that there is a digital divide in the way he portrays it. The reason we have a statutory body charged with management of this process is that it has the technical and professional capacity to assess it. It is a very complex issue. I think the Deputy understands the point I have made, that there is no precedent in which there has been 100% coverage. However, because of competition in the marketplace, there will, in effect, be universal coverage. The Government’s policy approach to the spectrum to be awarded by auction is primarily that it offers us the capacity to enhance mobile and especially broadband services. That is the main policy objective. Second, it will realise a not insignificant income for the State which may be seen by the Deputy as incidental to the policy objective, but it is important.


    For the full horror show go here

    http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/10/19/00015.asp


Comments

  • #2
    Galen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 664 ✭✭✭Galen


    Same old farce!


  • #3
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    This is nonsense.

    A “market-based” approach or "Competition" leads to Urban and Suburban duplication and a Digital Divide. That's proven. Only RANs per band on Mobile RF and USO on all else(any mix of Cable, fibre, copper or Fixed Wireless as long as minimum 20bps and 15:1 contention met).

    Leaving it to “market-based” approach or "Competition" is proven failure. Only Toothy Regulation and having single Wholesale infrastructures with proper targets that are actually enforced works.


  • #4
    bealtine
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,051 ✭✭✭bealtine


    Competition or "the fully liberalised market" so beloved of the DECNR is just a cover story to hide behind. It's an excuse to do nothing even when the EU has mandated that the state can intervene in the market. According to the DECNR everything is just fine and nothing more needs to be done...even if the Digital Agenda for Europe is just around the corner.
    To meet the EU Digital Agenda targets, Ireland will have to deliver 30 Mbps services everywhere by 2020, with 50 per cent of households subscribing to 100 Mbps or higher by 2020.
    Where is the policy to achieve these targets?

    Whatever happened to the New Era plan and Labour's equivalent plan?


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