The EU commissioner for Information, Society & Media has said Ireland faces a 'once in a life time opportunity' to take advantage of the digital dividend created by the changeover from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The switchover, due to take place by 2012, will free up spectrum capacity for use by services including television, mobile telephone nd fixed broadband services.
Speaking at a Comreg conference on the 'digital dividend', Commissioner Viviane Reding said one positive use of the service would be to bring wireless broadband to parts of the country that currently do not have access to it.
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan said that thanks to a number of factors including geographical location, Ireland has the chance to become a leader in mobile communications and wireless technologies.
Commissioner Reding outlined her ambition that there be universal broadband for all Europeans.
Both agreed that broadband was necessary for future economic growth and the Commissioner expressed her agreement with the Minister's vision that we would have universal broadband coverage by 2010.
The Minister detailed Ireland's plans on the allocation of radio frequency spectrum, which supports applications in telecommunications, broadcasting, transport and a range of services.
Minister Ryan outlined Ireland's natural advantage in this area, as an island nation and his plans that we become a 'test-bed' for innovators in this new technology.
'I am pleased to report that Ireland's plans on the digital advance mirror the Commissioner's ambitions. We both see broadband, mobile technology and digital television as the key to our economic success', the Minister said after the meeting.
