A report on more advanced high-speed broadband systems, or next generation broadband (NGB), has said Ireland may not see a substantial roll-out of such technology for the next three to five years.
A discussion document from communications regulator ComReg said that although trials had been conducted, no telecoms operator had yet committed itself to invest in making NGB widely available. Cable operator UPC has, however, announced plans to launch high-speed cable services.
'At a time when other countries are developing their next generation broadband infrastructure, such a scenario would open up a gap between Ireland's capabilities in this regard and those of other comparator countries in the EU and beyond,' ComReg says.
The regulator said competition would influence decisions by companies on the issue, and it was committed to local loop unbundling, which would help such competition. It also said uncertainty about consumer demand for higher-speed broadband could affect the development of NGB.
Last month, a Government report on NGB said a task force involving the Government, industry and ComReg would be formed with a view to ensuring that the development of NGB met the demands of the economy.
The full report is available at www.comreg.ie .
E|net awarded second MANs contract
Limerick-based e|net has won the contract for the second phase of the State's fibre platform called Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs).
The firm is already managing Phase 1 of the high-speed broadband scheme.
The next phase will see an additional 66 towns connected to the network.
In a statement today, e|net said the towns of Tralee, Killarney, Castleisland, Listowel, Navan, Bundoran, Ballyshannon, Longford Town, Blarney and the combined Carrigaline/Ringaskiddy/Passage West one are ready to be connected immediately.
The statement said the remaining 56 towns will come on line within the next 12 months.
Announcing the contract, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan said: 'The MANs play a pivotal role in the delivery of high speed broadband to regions throughout the country at a time when the advancement of a knowledge economy has never been more important.
'The ESRI predicts that around 70% of our exports will be services by 2025,' he added.
The news has also been welcomed by telecom companies.
Gerry Fahy, strategy director of Vodafone Ireland, said: 'Vodafone recently announced a €17million multi-year deal to access the MANs network.
'The rollout of Phase 2 will enable Vodafone to extend and deepen mobile broadband coverage outside Dublin in a cost efficient and effective manner.'
