Licences and launches keep Esat on the run

Esat Telecom's chairman Denis O'Brien and his employees were in fine fettle earlier this week as they collected their licence…

Esat Telecom's chairman Denis O'Brien and his employees were in fine fettle earlier this week as they collected their licence to compete in a fully liberalised market and celebrated the launch of the new subsidiary Esat Clear to tackle the residential market.

Tuesday was a busy day for Mr O'Brien who donned a pirate's hat, along with chief executive Sean Corkery, to pick up his licence. He then dashed back to the new Esat Clear Headquarters to host a press conference on the new service. Then it was out to Donnybrook, to do battle on RTE's Six- One news with Telecom's Gerry O'Sullivan.

A short time later he was off to Harry Crosbie's new late night venue, Vicar Street, to host a party to celebrate liberalisation at which Jools Holland and his band took centre stage. It's tough work battling State monopolies.