Doyle Wants Chair of Regulatory Commission

dahamsta

http://www.enn.ie/news.html?code=7918738

The [Irish Independent] says that telecoms regulator Etain Doyle wants the job as chairperson of the new commission that is due to regulate the market in Ireland. Under the new Communications Regulation Act, Doyle will be appointed to one of the commission's posts, along with two other full-time members. "As the person who has steered the ODTR in its role in liberalising the telecommunications market in Ireland since 1997 I am, of course, interested in leading the new commission," Doyle told the Irish Independent.

MDR

We need an outsider, I respect Ms Doyle for some of the work she has done under difficult circumstance, but she has been less that sympathetic towards our cause and that of the Irish Internet User. Her interests seem to lie more in provision of telecoms for Large/Medium sized business.

I feel that she still would be a useful memeber of the committe but should not chair it. Perhaps we could contact any other people making application for the job (who of course make their application publicily known), canvass their support for our cause and then lobby on their behalf?

Anyone else made their intentions public ?

spongebob

Thinking of It!

Should one commissioner not represent the USERS of Telecoms rather than the Industry or Civil Service

Could such a person not chair the Commission?

Why do I fear (irrationally I know) that it will be a well known Fianna Fáiler from Louth who knows as much about telecoms as a dog knows about his father.

M

MDR

Are we not entitled to know under the freedom of information act, who has applied for the job.

NeMiSiS

My votes with dahamsta !

spongebob

Yo!

The commissioners are to be apporinted by Dermot Ahern!

Dermie has yeeeeehhhhhuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrsssss of experience in sophisticated regulatory environments such as means testing grannies for their bus passes, losing applications for medical cards, etc etc.

careers@odtr.ie would seem to be the only possible starting point.

whats the wonga like

what are the jollies like

how many international regulators conferences are thrown into the 'package' every year.

does one get wheels and if so is it a 3 series or a 5


M

aidan_dunne

I hope to God Doyle doesn't get the chairmanship of the commission. I think she's done a terrible job so far, especially when it comes to the internet in this country, and I think somebody else with a much better understanding of the telecoms/internet sector and who will not be swayed by any intimidation or bribery by the telecos should be appointed as chairman.

By the way, Muck, to answer your question, I'm sure there are wheels involved but the government tends to use C, E and S Class Mercs rather than Beemers!

dahamsta

Your confidence is inspiring guys.

I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think the new positions have been advertised yet. They would be high-profile appointments, so they should be advertised widely. And they should be reported on fairly widely too, since pretty much everyone is going to be lobbying hard to get their views and interests represented in the new commission. I don't think that behind-the-scenes lobbying is going to be enough for these appointments; and it certainly shouldn't be enough, there's far too much at stake here.

As I've said before, my personal concern with the new regulatory commission is that I don't believe Etain Doyle's standoffish approach to regulation is appropriate at this stage in the market's development; and that the solution to this problem, that is, the appointment of two hard-line commissioners to sit beside her, is pretty unlikely to happen. As it happens, in a competitive environment, I would entirely agree with Doyle's approach, however we're all painfully aware that, for the most part, Ireland's telecommunications sector is simply not conducive to competition.

Even today, we have a press release from the ODTR showing that Eircom's fixed-line SMP losses are falling, and so OLO growth has more than halved; but there are so many other examples it's almost embarrassing, or at least it would be if more people understood the telecommunications marketplace. There are significant developments in the UK marketplace almost on a daily basis now, the most recent and notable being the fact that line rentals are on the brink of being deregulated; and that Thus is rumoured to be about to file what amount to antitrust proceedings against BT.

This is the kind of thing we should be reading every day about our own marketplace, but there is a dearth of interest in the subject, due mostly to ignorance, which could quite easily be attributed to the rosy-in-the-garden attitude and outlook of Doyle and her Office. Of course, saying that Doyle operates in this way by design would be wrong, because it's quite possible that the weak legislation and diluted powers she's been given are entirely responsible, but it's my view that if that is in fact the case, Doyle doesn't make half enough noise about it.

There have been a lot of errors of judgement that I find very hard to forgive though, errors that would make me think twice about Doyle's appointment as Chair of the commission. Not least the cable exclusivity clauses that have effectively damaged the cable marketplace - and by association the Internet marketplace - almost beyond repair. I realise it is remiss to consider past failings too heavily, and I also realise that Doyle has done a lot for the good of the marketplace, but the recent everything's-wonderful press release from the ODTR makes me wonder if there is any capacity for change in Doyle.

The ODTR has of course been co-operative with IrelandOffline: they have met with us; they have kept us informed to the best of their ability; and they have been patient and understanding with our often naive enquiries. But I often find myself wondering if we have ever actually achieved anything of substance through our work with the ODTR. They listen, but they don't implement; they lobby, but they do it behind the scenes; they deal, but we never know the full terms of the agreement. It's not very encouraging.

Will the commission be any better? To be honest, I'm highly sceptical; and the worst thing is, I can see the lobbyists laughing behind their hands. Eircom were surprised when the Communications Bill passed, but I don't think they were particularly disappointed. They essentially got what they wanted: they got the Bill whittled down to a sliver; they got a better-than-evens chance of a replacement regulatory environment that will be equally as ineffectual; and they got fines that the new regulators will probably be lax to implement.

I imagine they find all of this very funny. Personally, I find it rather nauseating that they find toying with people's lives so run-of-the-mill, just part of the daily grind. It hits home when you think how people would react if we were talking about a staple, like break or milk. People wouldn't be just angry, they would be revolutionary, they would be rising up in the streets and removing those responsible from power. It galls the most, though, when you realise that, in reality, the telephone is a staple; and by rights, the Internet should be one too.

adam


[1] Quote: "Eircom’s share of the fixed public telephony services market now stands at 86% compared with 89% in 2000 and 95% in 1998/1999."