NBP: National Broadband Plan Announced

KOR101 wrote: »

The Government is showing a lot of determination here, but I keep waiting for the 'other foot to drop' namely how does Eir react to this. Short of a big payoff, they surely have the means to cause all sorts of trouble.

Perhaps they are waiting for the Comreg decision on access and will react accordingly to that. I suppose there may be also PR implications in being the company that held up or derailed the NBP if they do go down the legal route. I'm not sure how big of a concern that would be to them.

There is also the possibility that, under the new management, they simply don't care about the remaining premises and they are happy to let the process play out and if it goes ahead they will get pole, duct and perhaps dark fibre rental annually.

ED E

COMREG comissioners may be leaving the decision to their successors. No way this gives you a good legacey, total hot potato.

Johnboy1951

fergus1001 wrote: »

Too fast ......

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Too fast ......

just imagine it happening over a 6 year period

TheQuietBeatle

Only 6 years? Feels like 15 with the previous cluster **** from Fianna fail included....

Is any party in this country capable of delivering top speed broadband?

fritzelly

TheQuietBeatle wrote: »

Only 6 years? Feels like 15 with the previous cluster **** from Fianna fail included....

Is any party in this country capable of delivering top speed broadband?

Nope, and the enet crap is gonna fail - either by challenges from other companies over the legality of it or an investigation of why it came to such a conclusion and who is benefitting from this. Thats if the EU even allows it to continue by funding government with a EU grant that was meant for private investment

smelly sock

TheQuietBeatle wrote: »

Only 6 years? Feels like 15 with the previous cluster **** from Fianna fail included....

Is any party in this country capable of delivering top speed broadband?

Not to non viable isolated small cluster of houses which is understandable.

TheQuietBeatle

If that is the case, it's the average Joe or the average rural businesses impacted. I'm not even going to bother to vote in the next election until someone convinces me otherwise. Broadband is almost like basic water or electricity at this stage.

TheQuietBeatle wrote:

Is any party in this country capable of delivering top speed broadband?

maby talk to maverick or ice man

[Deleted User]

smelly sock wrote: »

Not to non viable isolated small cluster of houses which is understandable.

Hoping that's sarcasm when I have a village down the road on a main ****ing road that has been told it's getting a cabinet for 3 years. Those villages should be served already so the glorious "oh but we must kill one off housing" gang can actually have something to be smug about.

[Deleted User]

fritzelly wrote: »

Nope, and the enet crap is gonna fail - either by challenges from other companies over the legality of it or an investigation of why it came to such a conclusion and who is benefitting from this. Thats if the EU even allows it to continue by funding government with a EU grant that was meant for private investment

Considering the EU have broadband targets that everyone is trying to meet, surely they would have said something already? The IIF bought part of enet a year ago, the EU would be smart to have pointed any issues out ahead of a contract signing because they'll be the villain if a contract gets signed, shovels finally in the ground and it gets canned because the EU suddenly decided to take issue. The EU ought to be looking for good PR not bad PR these days.

wexfordman2

TheQuietBeatle wrote: »

If that is the case, it's the average Joe or the average rural businesses impacted. I'm not even going to bother to vote in the next election until someone convinces me otherwise. Broadband is almost like basic water or electricity at this stage.

Don't not vote, vote against those who have not delivered, thats the most effective approach.

The Cush

In today's Indo, Dept of Communications is to announce the award of the NBP contract on Sept 16th.

irishfeen

The Cush wrote: »

In today's Indo, Dept of Communications is to announce the award of the NBP contract on Sept 16th.

If this is true the details will be very very interesting!

The Cush wrote:

In today's Indo, Dept of Communications is to announce the award of the NBP contract on Sept 16th.

only 1 month to go and just in time for the ploughing match !

[Deleted User]

If the sources aren't bull****ting we might actually get some action then this side of 2019 in terms of prep and stuff, obviously, I wouldn't expect "shovels in the ground" until 2019 if there's no drama with court cases from Eir, Enet ownership etc.

https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/adrian-weckler-broadband-rollout-plan-lives-on-37207139.html

The article is very light on details. It seems the Department are keen to plough on despite the setbacks. There is no mention of where the SSE funding gap is coming from. The agreement of eir for network access seems, to me, to be another huge unresolved issue.

irishfeen

Siena Gigantic Backyard wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/adrian-weckler-broadband-rollout-plan-lives-on-37207139.html

The article is very light on details. It seems the Department are keen to plough on despite the setbacks. There is no mention of where the SSE funding gap is coming from. The agreement of eir for network access seems, to me, to be another huge unresolved issue.

Remember the correspondence between Eir and comreg (I think) where it showed a letter where in fact Eir didn’t have a problem with the use of the network as long as it was solely for the NBP..

irishfeen wrote: »

Remember the correspondence between Eir and comreg (I think) where it showed a letter where in fact Eir didn’t have a problem with the use of the network as long as it was solely for the NBP..

That's not my reading of the eir letter at all. It says

... we look forward to your response as a matter of priority, so that we can consider these requests as soon as possible.

Nowhere does the letter suggest that they will accept cut price access to their infrastructure, which is what enet would be seeking.

fritzelly

Siena Gigantic Backyard wrote: »

Nowhere does the letter suggest that they will accept cut price access to their infrastructure, which is what enet would be seeking.

Which would then just open the floodgates for every company demanding the same.

fritzelly wrote: »

Which would then just open the floodgates for every company demanding the same.

Well no, because Comreg have specifically clarified that the NBP is unique.

6. It is ComReg’s view that there are objectively justified different circumstances at play in relation to the use of NBP Specific Product Process Enhancements for the purposes of the NBP such that these would not be equivalent to CEI access provided in other circumstances. There are substantial differences between these access requests for the NBPCo and those ordinarily sought by other authorised operators (“OAO”).

7. Accordingly, it is ComReg’s position that the NBP Specific Product Process Enhancements are specific to the NBP and eir is not obliged to offer them in other circumstances on foot of its non-discrimination obligation. Such NBP Specific Product Process Enhancements therefore would not, as a result of them being provided for the NBP, create any precedent in the context of future access requests.

8. It is also ComReg’s view that the specific nature and urgency associated with these requests mean that they do not need to go through eir’s existing regulatory access product (RAP) development processes and prioritisation model.

It seems to me that it is really up to eir. If they want they can let the NBP go ahead by accepting whatever price is offered for infrastructure access. Perhaps the Government is so desperate for this to go ahead that they will pay the current regulated rates.

Jup ..

right now, their dark fiber pricing for example is regulated, BUT .. they have no requirement to deliver that product.

If it gets delivered for the NBP, everyone will be looking for access.

Just one example.

/M

fritzelly

If eir are forced to allow another company access at a price below the regulated pricing there is no way in hell every other company is not going to be demanding the same. All kinds of arguments could be made like that comreg is giving preferential treatment to another company.

The Cush

The letter only relates to specific access requests to eir's network which it would appear eir has no problem with provided these access requests are restricted to the NBP rollout

Access to Pole ‘Transitions’ for NBP major infrastructure product (“MIP”)
Open eir as part of this NBP MIP would allow eNet-SSE to access aerial routes which transition underground

Duct Access Delivery and Payment Process for NBP MIP
An aggregated payments process for duct blockages in order to reduce administrative costs associated with large volume roll out in the context of the NBP

Duct - Distribution Pole access for NBP MIP
eNet-SSE as part of this NBP MIP would be permitted to construct interconnections between open eir distribution poles and the open eir chamber at the base of the pole

‘In-Life’ pole access order fulfilment
Open eir as part of this NBP MIP would facilitate eNet-SSE to extend their passing network to serve customers and thereby consume additional pole access at scale beyond the build phase of the NBP

https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/date-set-for-revealing-winner-of-broadband-rollout-process-37207119.html

Great news everyone. Imagine want back in the race.

It is also understood that Imagine, the company controlled by veteran telecoms entrepreneur Sean Bolger, intends to return to the National Broadband Plan process. The company, which was eliminated from the state-subsidised content at an early stage, is said to be pitching its wireless technology as a solution to connecting the more isolated rural homes.

The government has said that the "vast majority" of the 540,000 home network will be based on running fibre lines directly into the rural premises. However, it has admitted that a minority of premises may be too difficult or expensive to physically connect, with a high-speed wireless service taking the place of a fibre line. Imagine has invested heavily in wireless broadband technology, having acquired special 5G-friendly mobile and broadband spectrum in ComReg's 2017 bandwidth auction.

The Cush wrote: »

The letter only relates to specific access requests to eir's network which it would appear eir has no problem with provided these access requests are restricted to the NBP rollout

That's probably the problem right there. Comreg and the department will be challenged if they do that.

Fact is, that there are other providers in these areas. They may not be able to provide fiber speeds and they may not be eligible to bid for the NBP.

But fact is, that their pricing and bandwidth is based on their cost delivering these products. If the department and comreg facilitates direct competition to them and another company to underbid their pricing, by getting eir to give the NBP operator a favourable infrastructure pricing ... then that opens the Department, Comreg and Eir up to litigation.

And that means, that other providers might try and force eir to get the same pricing in the same area on that basis.

/M

Siena Gigantic Backyard wrote: »

Great news everyone. Imagine want back in the race.

https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/date-set-for-revealing-winner-of-broadband-rollout-process-37207119.html

They can't. It means they would have to open up for other providers on their network.

That sounds more like one of their regular marketing stunts.

/M

Marlow wrote: »

That's probably the problem right there. Comreg and the department will be challenged if they do that.

Fact is, that there are other providers in these areas. They may not be able to provide fiber speeds and they may not be eligible to bid for the NBP.

But fact is, that their pricing and bandwidth is based on their cost delivering these products. If the department and comreg facilitates direct competition to them and another company to underbid their pricing, by getting eir to give the NBP operator a favourable infrastructure pricing ... then that opens the Department, Comreg and Eir up to litigation.

And that means, that other providers might try and force eir to get the same pricing in the same area on that basis.

/M

I could see a case being made alright but would any of these companies have pockets deep enough to take Comreg to the High Court or above when a judgement not in their favour could bankrupt them.