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Telecommunications Today (Indo)

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  • 17-10-2002 1:59pm
    #1
    kamobe
    Registered Users Posts: 857 ✭✭✭


    There's a pull out in today's independent relating to (as the title suggests) telecoms. It claims to be the official guide to the TIF conference, and although it brings such issues as lack of availability and poor pricing strategys to the readers attention, it's still far to friendly to Eircom. For those of you who haven't read it heres's a few quotes from it that amused me...
    Eircom CEO Dr Philip Noonan said there is a need "to ensure a proper environment in which telecoms companies will be incentivised to invest further", that will in turn raise stimulation in the market.

    A peach that one.

    Tommy Mc Cabe (director of TIF) had more interesting things to say....
    "We have made good competition in the fixed-line, mobile and cable markets." However, while he is satisfied with the progress made to date, he believes that the regulatory model needs to evolve. "We think that the current model that the regulator has followed needs to be reviewed."

    He then went on the say that infrastructure was more important, and although prices should still be controlled, companies should rewarded for investing in infrastructure.

    Bill Murphy had plenty of encouraging things to say:
    "There is a need for enforcement whether it's to root out bad practises or drive change. For instance, the country needs cheaper broadband services. In Belfast you can get a broadband connection for €45 per month, while in the Republic of Ireland it's
    €90 per month. In Belfast you can get flat rate internet access, Down here you can't. This is a competitive issue. If we don't get competitive, if we dont drive competitive telecommunications, we won't have a competitive economy. Stronger regulatory enforcement is needed if you are going to do that."

    All of these are taken from an article titled "Finding a way through the regulation maze". Others include an article by the Minister for communications, Dermot Ahern entitled "Broadband remains our top priority". He mentions the governments 3 year plan which is to attain widespread affordable 'always on' broadband.

    Another article entitled "SME's slow to take up broadband" claims that broadband (namely DSL), where it's available, is easily affordable for these enterprises, and wonders why the take up is lower then expected (Eircom only have only just reached 2,200 DSL subscribers.).

    Maybe I was harsh at the beginning in accusing it of being "too friendly" to Eircom, as there some very relevant points tackled. But I would like to see articles like these point out the cause of these problems, which are a result of Eircoms lack of forsight.

    Anyone for coffee....??


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