Restrictions introduced during the foot-and-mouth crisis have severely curtailed the introduction of Meteor's mobile phone network, its new chief executive, Mr David Sims, said yesterday.

Mr Sims said the company could have claimed 65 per cent nation-wide coverage by now had it been able to cross agricultural land to build infrastructure over the past few months.

Instead, Meteor had achieved just 60 per cent nation-wide coverage and had concentrated its network build in urban areas recently, he said.

Mr Sims said difficulties still existed in gaining access to land despite the easing of restrictions. But he indicated the company understood the importance of keeping foot-and-mouth out of Ireland.

Mr Sims was speaking after the launch of a new call rate plan "Meteor Minutes" aimed at the lucrative business market.

This offers "pay-later" customers rates of 11.1p per minute at all times excluding VAT. The contract period is six months and there is no handset rental charge.

Mr Sims said the tariff structure undercut competing tariffs offered by Digifone and Eircell by 27-35 per cent.

Mr Sims said Meteor was well ahead of its three-month target figure since launch and had signed up more than 25,000 customers.