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Access (or the lack of it) to broadband in Ireland.

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24

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    #32
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,541 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    political analyst wrote: »
    The following article was written by Brian O'Donohoe, the commercial director of broadband provider Imagine.

    http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/national-broadband-plan-will-fail-those-in-our-country-areas-35229984.html



    Why doesn't the Government reserve part of the wireless spectrum for small companies that currently provide a wireless internet service? Surely, squeezing them out would be an abuse of power.

    Furthermore, why doesn't the Government use satellite transmission to increase access to broadband?


    I would suggest that people take that article with the scepticism it deserves. Wireless has and continues to fail to deliver decent future proof broadband, and this will not change. There are vested interests here, consider the very article above, who it was written by, and also have a think why unusually, the above article did not allow comments to it, to question/refute the claims.

    Ireland is not Australia for one thing.

    i read that article a few days ago, and to be frank, I was horrified, it appeared to me as if it was more of an advertisement than anything else.


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    #33
    pilly
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    Edups2.0 wrote: »
    Yes they should. I think attitudes like that are disgusting as well and the very reason we have this problem. Not everyone is happy to pack up and leave the house they may have lived in for donkeys years just to get some broadband.

    They don't have to move, they just have to live without broadband! Disgusting? Really? Such an over-reaction. Since when has it been a human rights issue to have broadband?


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    #34
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,541 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    Many moons ago, I worked on a project where a 45mb radio link was installed for an operator. Whenn the link was being proposed first, the response was much like yours...why the hell would we need 45mb (and this was a trunk connection, not a dedicated connection).


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    #35
    morgana
    Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭morgana


    Edups2.0 wrote: »
    Most people with Imagine spend their time imagining what proper broadband is like. I had them for a short time in Wexford TOWN and I couldn't even get the 10mbps they promised with a full signal.

    I would presume you are talking about a different Imagine product (Wimax or something similar), I am on Imagine LTE which is a fairly new product with much higher speeds (my average if 60+ Mbps off peak and 50+ peak). I have no opinion re WImax but am happy enough with the LTE product. Sure its not ideal but its a far cry from what I had before.


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    #36
    Edups2.0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭Edups2.0


    pilly wrote: »
    They don't have to move, they just have to live without broadband! Disgusting? Really? Such an over-reaction. Since when has it been a human rights issue to have broadband?

    Why shouldn't rural areas have access to broadband like the rest the country? Ah get a grip if you had no broadband service you'd be all up about it no doubt, very easy to say there's no need when you're using it right now to complain about people who want it. I mean, god forbid they might need to use the internet for work, get a grip.


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    #37
    pilly
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    Edups2.0 wrote: »
    Why shouldn't rural areas have access to broadband like the rest the country? Ah get a grip if you had no broadband service you'd be all up about it no doubt, very easy to say there's no need when you're using it right now to complain about people who want it. I mean, god forbid they might need to use the internet for work, get a grip.


    I don't have broadband at home, I have it in work for work purposes alright but don't have it at home and manage to survive.


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    #38
    Gonzo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 16,719 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gonzo


    pilly wrote: »
    I don't have broadband at home, I have it in work for work purposes alright but don't have it at home and manage to survive.

    up to a year or two ago fast internet was a luxury mainly in larges and cities, required for business, gamers and people who like to download or watch alot of films.

    In the past 1-2 years there has been a huge change in that it's becoming a requirement just to pay the bills, book a holiday, bank, study, look for a job and lots of other stuff.

    In the next year or two many companies will stop sending out paper based bills, it's fast becoming an expectation that everyone has speeds of over 50 megs when the reality is close to 40% of the population of this country barely has the speed to open a google search page.


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    #39
    pilly
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    Gonzo wrote: »
    up to a year or two ago fast internet was a luxury mainly in larges and cities, required for business, gamers and people who like to download or watch alot of films.

    In the past 1-2 years there has been a huge change in that it's becoming a requirement just to pay the bills, book a holiday, bank, study, look for a job and lots of other stuff.

    In the next year or two many companies will stop sending out paper based bills, it's fast becoming an expectation that everyone has speeds of over 50 megs when the reality is close to 40% of the population of this country barely has the speed to open a google search page.

    I'm not arguing that it's not needed more and more today than ever. What I'm arguing is that it's not a basic human need. I don't have it at home and have managed even whilst I wasn't working. I went to the library to look for jobs, book stuff and print stuff.

    There are people who don't have so much as a smart phone and they manage their day to living also. It is not a matter of survival is what I'm saying. Companies like to say that they will be paperless in so many years but in reality I think that's further away than we all think. We've been saying it probably since the 90s.

    If a company wants to get paid and the customer doesn't have internet then they'll send a bill.

    It would be lovely for everyone in the country to have broadband, again all I'm saying is it's not a matter of life and death.


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    #40
    maudgonner
    Registered Users Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    pilly wrote: »
    I don't have broadband at home, I have it in work for work purposes alright but don't have it at home and manage to survive.

    And what about businesses in areas that don't have access to broadband? A large section of our economy is based on agribusiness. Tourism, of which rural tourism is a major component, is also a major contributor. Do you expect these businesses to struggle on without access to decent internet speeds?

    I guess we should just move everything to the cities, yeah?


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    #41
    murpho999
    Registered Users Posts: 28,391 ✭✭✭✭murpho999


    pilly wrote: »
    I don't have broadband at home, I have it in work for work purposes alright but don't have it at home and manage to survive.

    So was that post for work purposes then?;)


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    #42
    pilly
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    maudgonner wrote: »
    And what about businesses in areas that don't have access to broadband? A large section of our economy is based on agribusiness. Tourism, of which rural tourism is a major component, is also a major contributor. Do you expect these businesses to struggle on without access to decent internet speeds?

    I guess we should just move everything to the cities, yeah?

    I don't live in a city, don't understand why people get all het up about these things. It's only my opinion. I've already stated I don't have broadband at home and manage quite well. It's not a human right is all I'm saying.


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    #43
    pilly
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    murpho999 wrote: »
    So was that post for work purposes then?;)

    Totally. :D:D


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    #44
    maudgonner
    Registered Users Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    pilly wrote: »
    I don't live in a city, don't understand why people get all het up about these things. It's only my opinion. I've already stated I don't have broadband at home and manage quite well. It's not a human right is all I'm saying.


    That's my point - it's not just about having broadband at home. For many people it's also about having broadband at work. Not all workplaces are in cities or towns. There's plenty of businesses (including hotels, factories, shops and offices) in areas that have been completely neglected by internet providers. And there's the potential to further develop the rural economy, as well as letting more people work from home, if a decent standard of broadband is provided.

    No, it's not a human right. But it is increasingly important economically, as well as personally, for people to have a decent standard of internet service.


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    #45
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #46
    maudgonner
    Registered Users Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    Trading and fund management, regardless of how big the fund (but nice dick-waving there), doesn't tend to involve the transfer of large amounts of data.

    I'm frequently in the same boat as frozenfrozen, and have to transfer large video files. It's impossible to do from home, which means I have to do physical transfers. It's a bit mortifying to have to tell clients that I'll send a hard drive to them by courier instead of drop-boxing it.


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    #47
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #48
    KERSPLAT!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31,152 ✭✭✭✭KERSPLAT!


    So what you're saying is, you've a small díck in the grand scheme of things?


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    #49
    maudgonner
    Registered Users Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    KERSPLAT! wrote: »
    So what you're saying is, you've a small díck in the grand scheme of things?

    But still feels compelled to mention it, in the course of conversations?

    By the way, my video files are huge. And I wanted all of you to know that.

    Huge.


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    #50
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #51
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users Posts: 1,959 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    pilly wrote: »
    They don't have to move, they just have to live without broadband! Disgusting? Really? Such an over-reaction. Since when has it been a human rights issue to have broadband?
    pilly wrote: »
    I don't live in a city, don't understand why people get all het up about these things. It's only my opinion. I've already stated I don't have broadband at home and manage quite well. It's not a human right is all I'm saying.

    Those statements may not be correct for much longer.
    https://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/national-broadband-plan-right-ireland
    Naughten said he and his department are watching closely developments in the EU, including a new draft directive on infrastructure that will ensure that all buildings in Europe will have fibre ducting.
    ....
    “We want to ensure people have access to broadband as a right. Having a USO is critical, just like electricity, broadband should be a right and I want it as an enforceable right.

    Finland has had it as a Human Right since 2010: :eek:
    http://www.bbc.com/news/10461048

    The United Nations even tried something this year, but they're a toothless non-entity, so I didn't even bother reading about it. :rolleyes:


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    #52
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #53
    maudgonner
    Registered Users Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    Sure it is. But it's when you make statements like this:
    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    that you'll have people, like myself, come along and explain to you in quite annoyed terms why they 'think they can't function' with substandard internet service. (And even 3Mbps would be a dream for many people atm)


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    #54
    Buford T. Justice XIX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    A a farmer in the SW of Ireland, broadband, or the lack of it is a huge issue. We currently have 6MB down and !.2 MB up on a 4G mobile network. I need broadband for registering calves, getting movement dockets, sending in information to the Dept of Agriculture, applying for schemes etc.

    I get less than 1 MB down and virtually nothing up at weekends so any work that needs to be uploaded during the weekend requires me to drive 5 miles to the local village with the laptop and dongle and send/receive any emails or documents required.

    A lot of farms and small business users in rural Ireland would have huge issues with access to broadband when it is faster to drive to the local town to rent a video than it would be to download over the internet.

    It's not a human right but it is getting close to being a basic right to have decent broadband access to carry on any semblance of a normal functioning life in the 21st century .


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    #55
    BandMember
    Registered Users Posts: 1,704 ✭✭✭BandMember


    political analyst wrote: »
    The following article was written by Brian O'Donohoe, the commercial director of broadband provider Imagine.

    http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/national-broadband-plan-will-fail-those-in-our-country-areas-35229984.html



    Why doesn't the Government reserve part of the wireless spectrum for small companies that currently provide a wireless internet service? Surely, squeezing them out would be an abuse of power.

    Furthermore, why doesn't the Government use satellite transmission to increase access to broadband?

    Howya Brian, didn't realise you were on Boards.

    Why don't you take your whinging, deluded hokum and blatant lies over to Shelbyville - it's more their type of thing.... :cool:


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    #56
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users Posts: 1,959 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    Buford T. Justice V wrote: »
    A a farmer in the SW of Ireland, broadband, or the lack of it is a huge issue. We currently have 6MB down and !.2 MB up on a 4G mobile network. I need broadband for registering calves, getting movement dockets, sending in information to the Dept of Agriculture, applying for schemes etc.

    I get less than 1 MB down and virtually nothing up at weekends so any work that needs to be uploaded during the weekend requires me to drive 5 miles to the local village with the laptop and dongle and send/receive any emails or documents required.

    A lot of farms and small business users in rural Ireland would have huge issues with access to broadband when it is faster to drive to the local town to rent a video than it would be to download over the internet.

    It's not a human right but it is getting close to being a basic right to have decent broadband access to carry on any semblance of a normal functioning life in the 21st century .

    And this is one of the many reasons the Government needs to get proper broadband out to rural areas. Farmers are forced to to do virtually everything with respect to Dept Ag via the web. So good connectivity is vital for them.

    Rural business (and this includes Farmers) have to deal with revenue via ROS - again an on-line only service. I met with a business owner 2 years ago who was taking a test case against revenue, because they were fining him €000's for continuing to use paper with them. His house is in some funky hollow that even the satellites can't see him. :eek: I don't know how he got on for a finish, but he's probably out of business by now, as revenue don't care. :mad:


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    #57
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #58
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users Posts: 1,959 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    I won't do any dick wagging :rolleyes:. I operate a business (training/consultancy) from home on a 3Mbs/1Mbps Wireless connection. My OH is currently studying for a diploma and is doing so on that same connection.

    We don't bother with the netflix things or any streaming like that. I am a patient person and I need to be, because everything takes so frickin long to do on this connection. I was kinda hoping that Three might upgrade to 4G masts around here, so I could use their AYCE data package and get better speeds, but some knob-jockey on the Imagine LTE thread fcuked that up for everybody now.

    So yes it is possible to work on a <10Mbps connection, but it makes life difficult and I'm probably at a competitive disadvantage to a similar operation in the city.


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    #59
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #60
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,541 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    pilly wrote: »
    I'm not arguing that it's not needed more and more today than ever. What I'm arguing is that it's not a basic human need. I don't have it at home and have managed even whilst I wasn't working. I went to the library to look for jobs, book stuff and print stuff.

    There are people who don't have so much as a smart phone and they manage their day to living also. It is not a matter of survival is what I'm saying. Companies like to say that they will be paperless in so many years but in reality I think that's further away than we all think. We've been saying it probably since the 90s.

    If a company wants to get paid and the customer doesn't have internet then they'll send a bill.

    It would be lovely for everyone in the country to have broadband, again all I'm saying is it's not a matter of life and death.

    Look, a lighbulb is not a necessity for survival either, you can get along perfectly well without it.


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    #61
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,541 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    I would still dearly love to know why the independent and the author chose to publish that article with no comments section to it.

    Well, I think I know why, primarily because 99% of the article was hogwash and it's best not to let people point it out underneath the article.


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