Real Broadband Alternatives 3
Irish Independent • Monday, 7 July, 2008
Foreword by Minister Eamon Ryan TD
Ireland now has over one million broadband subscribers and half the households in the country have a broadband connection. This momentum
must be sustained to keep Ireland above the OECD average, says Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD
O
VER the past year, unserved by broadband
much of the providers, will have access to
‘Let there be no doubt that rural areas
media coverage broadband by the end of 2009
on broadband with some of the harder to
policy in Ireland reach areas being completed
in Ireland, which are as yet unserved by
has focused on the idea we in early 2010.
are playing ‘catch-up’. The emphasis must now be
This perception may be placed on quality.
broadband providers, will have access
common, but it must not Traded services are
impede our development. becoming a key aspect of our
to broadband by the end of 2009 with
The fact of the matter is economic growth, with the
that over the past year, major ESRI indicating that by 2025
developments have taken these services will provide
some of the harder to reach areas being
place in terms of our some 70pc of all Irish exports.
broadband penetration. With
more than one million
completed in early 2010’
broadband subscribers and
over half of the households in
the country with a broadband
connection, we’re now better
off in broadband terms than
the OECD average. ‘Six years
The evidence is there. We
may be playing catch-up, but
we’re making significant
ago, there
progress while doing so.
This year has seen us focus
on two key policy areas –
was no
This major change in our suitable services for those penetration in the OECD. We
broadband availability and
broadband
economy means our business who require them. have over one million
broadband quality. It is and financial sectors will, For this reason, I launched subscribers, numerous mobile
imperative that ubiquitous, of course, require high-speed my department’s consultation operators and a strong
quality broadband is
in Ireland.
networks. My department is paper on next-generation regulatory base. There are
available, and we are putting well aware of the huge broadband last Thursday. This more mobile phones in the
in place a strategy to tackle importance of high-speed policy will facilitate private country than citizens. The
this. It’s not a conundrum,
Today, the
access to facilitate quick sector investment in networks, industry is demonstrating a
but it does present challenges. download and upload of which will help the industry real appetite for investment,
The National Broadband
landscape
material and to allow to map out Ireland’s journey which cannot but drive the
Scheme will address the enterprises to innovate and to the fore in terms of market and mean a growth in
availability issue. The compete, all of which will be broadband quality, supply and competitiveness.
remaining bidders have
is very
vital to the advancement of penetration. It will go hand What we have achieved in
been engaged in detailed our economy. in hand with our development those six years from a blank
competitive dialogue, and the At the moment, small as an information society canvas, can and will be built
final contract will be awarded
different’
businesses are telling me they and knowledge economy, a upon.
in September. Timelines have don’t use much more than development which clearly is The demand is there, the
been pushed back as a result basic broadband services, already happening. service providers are there
of the complexity of the while larger corporations are Six years ago, there was and competition is growing.
project and a judicial review subscribing to high-speed no broadband in Ireland. It is now up to Government to
which is currently under way. services. Lower, basic speeds Today, the landscape is very provide the basis for this
Nevertheless, let there be won’t suffice forever. Our different. growth, and I intend that our
no doubt that rural areas in networks must be developed Now, we have one of the next-generation broadband
Ireland, which are as yet Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD to provide the right and fastest growths in broadband policy will do exactly that.
Alternative
Broadband
Map of Ireland
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