Current state of play of Wireless Broadband

GoneShootin

Lew

My dad is doing a distance learning course with DIT and is having problems getting some CURRENT information on the current state of wireless broadband.

Ive sent him off to theregister, electricnews, irelandoffline, and others, but he is having problems finding any articles freasher than 2004.

Can someone here point *us* in the right direction?

Thanks...

damien

What do you want to know exactly?

GoneShootin

Well his question is something along the lines of "write an essay on the state of Wireless Broadband Communications in Ireland and give your opinion on what is going to happen over the next five years".

So I'm thinking he should do a wee piece about the technology behind it, which isnt a problem. Competitors in the market and what they offer, and thats not such a huge problem either. Alternatives to wireless, no biggie. Perhaps a section about why people would/are being forced to go wireless. I can help him on that one personally

But its the problems with takeup and distribution thats causing him grief, especially where it applies to more recent times rather than a few years ago.

Stuff like

WHY ireland is so far behind (is it?)
WHAT is being done about it
WHO are pushing
WHO are slowing it down

Finding current negative and positives is I guess what I'm getting at there.

The future of wireless broadband. Just now I found some nice info related to America, but its tough to find solid stuff for Ireland alone.

I dunno why he did the course, its getting rid of his remaining few hairs

bk

I'm afraid you won't find anything like that in any articles on the web. The wireless companies just aren't required to reveal information like that, so they don't.

Maybe if your father contacts them directly, like IBB, they might reveal some info, however it is very unlikely.

Your best bet for info is right here on the IOFFL forum and the Broadband forum.

You might also find some interesting info on www.comreg.ie which regulates the wireless spectrum and has a lot of information on licenses, etc.

From reading on boards, etc. It seems that IBB is by far the biggest and most agressive wireless player, covering much of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, etc. and offering the most competitive prices. Leap I believe is doing well in Dublin as a leased line replacement for SMBs. There are then a gaggle of smaller players and local community setups in rural areas throughout the country.

Clearwire, a major player in the US market, also has some of the 3.5Ghz licenses (same as IBB) for the major urbn areas and while they haven't really started selling yet, they could be a challenger to IBB's dominance in the wireless market.

WHY ireland is so far behind (is it?)

In wired BB we are still behind but not in wireless, in fact in many ways we are far a head of most other countries i terms of wireless.

The only limiting factor seems to be that IBB can't keep up with demand, rumour has it that there is a 2 mnoth wait for installs now. This problem is caused because must people need to get an engineer to install antenae on their roofs, the obviously limits the ability for mainstream take up as compared to self-install products like DSL.

Also there are questions if wireless can really scale to high (mainstream) take up rates.

WHAT is being done about it

Well, not much can be done, there are new technologies like WiMax which claim to offer Non Line of Site (NLOS), which means you can self install, however we have seen that previous NLOS technologies, like Ripwave aren't very good.

WHO are pushing

- IBB
- Comreg
- IOFFL (of course)
- Various other wireless players.

WHO are slowing it down

Eircom would love to slow it down (they have a lot of valuable spectrum and don't do much with it), but they can't really do much about it, Comreg have put in place a fairly fair licensing regime.

Some councils haven't allowed local community BB projects to put their transmitters on their buildings or get planning permission. But I believe these are isolated incidents.

viking

bk wrote:

Some councils haven't allowed local community BB projects to put their transmitters on their buildings or get planning permission. But I believe these are isolated incidents.

In Westmeath there were these initial problems that stretched on (and on) for over a year, but issues were overcome.

Community broadband is now launched and all stakeholders love each other again.

Viking

GoneShootin

BK thanks for that - appreciate it

vinnyfitz

viking wrote:

In Westmeath there were these initial problems that stretched on (and on) for over a year, but issues were overcome.

Community broadband is now launched and all stakeholders love each other again.

Viking

Congratulations

Take a bow Viking - it would never have happened without you!

viking

Cheers Vinny.

Its fantastic to see the wireless attennas starting to pop up while accompanied by the sound of eircom phone lines being disconnected...

Tom Young

GoneShootin wrote:

Lew

My dad is doing a distance learning course with DIT and is having problems getting some CURRENT information on the current state of wireless broadband.

Ive sent him off to theregister, electricnews, irelandoffline, and others, but he is having problems finding any articles freasher than 2004.

Can someone here point *us* in the right direction?

Thanks...

Dude, sure thing.

ComReg has been listed in the bureacratic world of Wireless spectrum as a leader. I have a number of presentations available which you can get your hands on via ComReg. Send me a private message.

Your old man should look for an Intel white paper on WiMax, in addition to seeking out the still valid Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1926. Talks about equipment licenses versus spectrum allocations etc. Bring a dictionary ... :mad:

I expect dealing with the 1926 act to come after the Miscellaneous provisions act and the Broadcast act. It's not at the top of the pile on the way to the parliamentary draftsman.

ComReg also have a test and trial license regime in place, which is cheap, reasonable and fair. Believe it or not, it's seen as a good thing in the EU context.

In 2000, ComReg introduced test licensing

25 test licences issued by ComReg

17 - test of fixed wireless or mobile technologies

Rest - variety of applications, including local TV trials, evaluation of new communications technologies for the emergency services, medical devices and railway signalling systems.

But why has the take up been so slow??

-Benchmarking

-Consultation (04/85, 04/115) www.comreg.ie under publications, you'll find this.

Information on the Schemes

Brochure

Guidelines – Document 05/35

2 ways to Apply

Applications on line

www.elicensing.comreg.ie

Submit Application form by Post

Document 05/35A, 05/35B

In the Strategy Review documentation you will find references to the Wireless Strategy.

Note: Trinity College, Ericsson, Intel, and two ComReg speakers presented.

I don't believe in naming public servants directly in my posts, so a private message to me and I'll assist.

TY.

Sponge Bob

And plenty of Comreg ballsups (some well intentioned and some a disgrace ) 1997 -2002

Eircom 3.5Ghz spectrum
Nomadic Mobiles devices c 1.8Ghz
Non application of USO principles WRT WLL/RURTEL spectrum allocated to €ircon.
Stealing the 2.5G-2.6Ghz band off Chorus/NTL lest they do anything useful with it off their considerable tower infrastructure . Band Currently on a shelf in case 3G operators do anything at all which is very doubtful.
Non enforcement of 3G rollout requirements, risible definition of 'live'
No vision for 3.6-4.2Ghz
Crowing in public about their contribution to Car Radar system regulatory environment in the 24Ghz band while doing bugger all re: above . we do not have a car industry Comreg FFS or roads !

I very pleased with Comreg all right , as they themselves have put it .

crawler

GoneShootin wrote:

Lew

My dad is doing a distance learning course with DIT and is having problems getting some CURRENT information on the current state of wireless broadband.

Ive sent him off to theregister, electricnews, irelandoffline, and others, but he is having problems finding any articles freasher than 2004.

Can someone here point *us* in the right direction?

Thanks...

PM me if you want me to answer a list of questions for you