TELECOMS & MOBILE
Minister pledges broadband for all
07-11-2007
by Ciara O'Brien
Irish consumers have been promised faster and cheaper broadband access regardless of their geographical location.
The pledge was made by Tony Killeen, the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources in his speech to a Shannon Development Seminar on Wednesday.
Killeen outlined the progress that the Government has made on extending broadband around the country, including the Metropolitan Area Networks, one of which is currently under construction in the Shannon area. Eight further MANs are planned for the Shannon area.
Those areas that fall outside the MAN programme's remit will be served by the new National Broadband Scheme. Under this scheme, reasonable requests for high-speed access in areas where broadband is currently unavailable will be met. The contract for the National Broadband Scheme will be awarded in the second quarter of 2008.
"The Government has clearly demonstrated that it is committed to achieving balanced regional development and ensuring that people outside of our major urban centres have access to state of the art communications infrastructure through investment programmes such as the Metropolitan Area Network scheme," said Killeen.
"As a Minister of State in this Department of Communications, I am determined to ensure that consumers will benefit through faster and cheaper broadband availability no matter where they live."
Meanwhile, Shannon Development has called on the Government to support its plans for a pilot next generation network (NGN) in Shannon, as part of its bid to help revolutionise the telecoms system.
NGN is telco shorthand for new technologies which are being integrated into, and progressively replacing, existing legacy telecom copper-based networks with fibre, and older exchanges with digital IP-based switches. It's envisaged this changeover will transform the communications industry by facilitating the delivery of multiple services over a single packet-based infrastructure.
Shannon Development Chief Executive Kevin Thompstone said that Ireland shouldn't be lagging behind other countries when it comes to telecommunications but should be leading the way.
"NGNs are the future, they will help Ireland be at the leading edge of the telecommunications industry and will mean faster, more efficient and cheaper access to a growing range of broadband applications. The rollout of an IP-based, open access, next generation network will ensure that all telecommunication services can be channelled through one, open access multi-service network instead of multiple, proprietary networks as is the case currently," he said.
"This means that operators can concentrate on investing in developing innovative and leading edge broadband services which will have huge benefits for all areas of Irish life from attracting new foreign investment, growing our tourism industry, to education, research and social usages."
The proposed NGN would be part of an initiative led by Shannon Development, in partnership with Limerick City Council, Clare County Council, North Tipperary County Council and Offaly County Council.
"Ensuring fast, cost effective broadband services is key to attracting inward investment and creating more jobs in the future," said Thompstone.
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