Eircom's submission to DCMNR on policy direction to ComReg.

SkepticOne

http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/files/Comms_Reg_Eircom.doc

Some amusing stuff here.

Eircom claiming that the extremely expensive 100 euro DSL in Ireland already addresses the need for flat rate (even though Eircom's DSL product is not flat rate except at over 200 euros).

The Minister would be aware that a flat rate charging regime has already been developed for consumers by some operators including eircom through the launch in 2002 of DSL-based broadband services. Operators including eircom are now assessing the early impact of DSL and given the absence of a robust business case for rapid roll-out of national broad-band services are reviewing the pricing and service specification based on early consumer response. eircom is currently considering substantial changes in the product specification and pricing of broadband services with a view to stimulating greater service take-up.

Eircom fails to mention Ireland has the highest entry level DSL when talking about the low take up.

To date there has been a relatively slow take up of flat rate broadband access by both domestic and business consumers and eircom is currently reviewing the commercial and investment options available. Further investment in broadband infrastructure (including ADSL and/or emerging technologies) will require that the business case stands up, i.e. that market demand is strong enough to allow for a reasonable return on investment.

spongebob

The Irish Time stoday (07-03) covered aspects of how Eircom Whined about FRIACO and COMREG to the DCMNR in their submission.

They got pretty uncritical whining coverage about the cost of both FRIACO and COMREG (meaning the operator levy that pays for Comreg).

The Irish Times did not whine back at Eircom about the equally iniquitous cost of LINE RENTAL and DSL .......which makes the article unrealistic and unbalanced of course.

One wonders if the IT is angling for some Eircom advertising revenue these days...does one

SkepticOne

Other submissions are also on the DCMNR website here.

viking

In the current regulatory environment, eircom achieves a Return on Capital Employed which is inadequate to justify continued large-scale network investment. The imposition of a Flat-Rate charging regime on wholesale switched narrow band data services (an increasingly large proportion of overall switched business) will further reduce ROCE with implications for eircoms ability to deliver its Universal Services Obligation.

Are you threatening something here Eircom? Am I right in thinking that you believe that if FRIACO is introduced you are going to be in such dire financial straits that you may not even be able to deliver your obligations under the USO?

Wow, eircom are really shítting FRIACO, hehe...

viking

MarVeL

Failure to account for national circumstances may restrict the CCR’s ability to support wider Government policy objectives, in particular those policies relating to the development of the Information Society, e-commerce and broadband. Consequently, eircom cautions against the use of benchmarking against other Member States and propose that where benchmarking is undertaken this should be used to inform regulation rather than shape it. “International benchmarking” has a narrow focus; consistency should be with “international best practice” which encompasses the wider economic basis of regulatory decisions

Can anyone think of an "international best practise" that could possibly be applied to the current Irish telecoms industry? Though it is very easy to see why eircom would not want to suffer under "International Benchmarking" with such a narrrow focus as what everyone else already has.

Unlesss of course:

· the operational costs of the CCR should be measured against “best practice” of international regulatory authorities in the EU and elsewhere and changes made accordingly. (While eircom does not favour the imposition of best-practice benchmarking as a regulatory mechanism, benchmarks should inform the decision-making process)

The words goose and gander are springing to mind. Perhaps if eircom were to agree that they woylld be bound by benchmarking to at least land around the 50% mark in europe we wouldn't need the CCR

skrobe

"Furthermore, there is no evidence to support a view that the measure(FRIACO) will lead to reduced prices for consumers."

It all depends weather you want to be total w******* and charge 200euro for flatrate,which is your only flatrate product.
j

Canadian

Here's a theory -- Eircom is secretly run by Saddam Hussain.

Crazy? They employ the same stalling tactics and misleading redirection while torturing a nation's future by keeping it's people in the dark ages.

And much like Iraq, the Irish don't have a choice in the matter because there's only one party in town.

Promise, then delay, deflect, deny, deter....

I wonder if the Eircom technicians would be allowed out of Ireland for interviews...

PLEASE MR. BUSH, SEND IN THE MARINES TO SAVE US FROM OUR DICTATOR!!

Next thing you know the Kurds in the north will get ADSL.... oh wait - they have it.

Canucker

wormhole

Here's a theory -- Eircom is secretly run by Saddam Hussain.

What a foul slur! Saddam is an honest,decent and trustworthy
human being...............well compared to eirgom he is.


wormhole