Walkie Talkie

The streets are alive with the sound of mobile phones and now they are as likely to belong to laid-back teenagers as high-powered men in suits. It's the mobile invasion and, according to the experts, we ain't seen nothing yet. Proof that these high-tech accessories are no longer the preserve of the corporate world comes in the rumour that mobile phones have been banned from the classrooms of at least one Dublin school. And it is Network providers Eircell and Esat Digifone who are the two main rivals for our telephonic affections.

Telecom Eireann and Eircell were responsible for bringing the first mobile phone to Ireland 12 years ago. In May last year Esat Digifone received a licence to operate from the government ensuring a more competitive business environment.

When Digifone came on the scene Eircell boasted 100,000 subscribers, a massive number given that original estimates were for a maximum 8000 phones on the market. Now that number has increased to 360,000 according to Ms Catherine O'Connor of Eircell and the change in the profile of the mobile phone user has proved equally dramatic:

"In the beginning mobile phones were used purely by business people or people who travelled a lot," she says. "Now though, there are people using them for all sorts of reasons". Eircell's new package `Ready to Go', a new "pay as you go" system which eradicates monthly bills, resulted in 6000 new subscribers over the first seven days. It is proving popular with young people. "Parents are buying them for their children who are going off to college" says O'Connor. "And young people who normally couldn't afford them are attracted by the price". Eircell offer an analogue service (088 numbers) in addition to the digital or GSM (086/087 numbers) service more commonly used around the world. Under a European Directive the 088 analogue system is to be phased out from the year 2005. The GSM system allows for customers to use their phones in 55 different countries but according to O'Connor "Irish people just love to talk and stay in touch. Some don't need the added extras of GSM which is why we offer analogue as well".

Earlier this month Digifone, who only offers the GSM service, announced that after just nine months in operation they had signed up 80,000 customers. Combined with Eircell's 360,000 users this signals a growth in the industry of between 80 and 90 per cent in this year alone. Despite a slow start, mobile phone penetration here, currently at around 14 per cent, surpasses that in countries such as France, Germany and Belgium.

According to Mr Barry Maloney, the chief executive of Esat Digifone, the number of people owning mobile phones in this country is set to spiral even further. Before the end of this year, he speculates, there could be as many as half a million people chattering into stylishly small units of plastic. By the year 2000 this number could be doubled.

"The whole idea that a phone should be fixed to a wall is long gone," he says. The fact that many phones are now offered free of charge by businesses (in conjunction with either Eircell or Esat) has also increased their popularity. "Handset manufacturers they believe that within five years around one in two people will own a mobile phone".

The fall in prices anticipated by Maloney will also boost usage and could encourage more non-business people to get mobile; Esat's typical customers would be professional people from small and medium businesses. But, "from a safety point of view they are very useful for families to communicate with each other and I can see them becoming a lot more prevalent," he says.

Hovering ominously over discussions of a rapidly expanding mobile phone industry, is the issue of their safety. A number of Co Meath residents are protesting against the erection of a mobile phone mast in their area. They view both base stations, which relay conversations, and the handsets themselves, as dangerous to their health. "All I can tell you is that there are internationally set standards for this technology and the Irish government would not have licensed us if there were any known health scares from it's radiation emissions," says Mr Maloney. Ms O'Connor from Eircell agrees, adding that they have commissioned four medical experts to examine all the evidence available. "So far their research would suggest that there is nothing to worry about," she says.

Whatever the outcome of this fairly complex debate the fact remains that mobile phones contribute to the smooth running of thousands of organisations in this country.

Mr Jim Coakley of the outside broadcasts unit of RTE explains how vital mobile phones are to his department: "Nowadays they are invaluable because it is no longer acceptable to have a crew anywhere and not have instant contact with the office, the unit manager and the engineering manager," he says.

Practically all of the journalists, reporters and technical workers in RTE and TnaG and other media outlets rely on mobile phones for their everyday business. "For live broadcasting they are absolutely essential," says Mr Coakley.

Mobile phones are also used in the fight against crime.iochana availing of them during the course of their duty. In Ballymun, locals who mount vigils to protect their area from drug dealers have been given mobile phones to relay information to the Gardai and other relevant agencies. Mr Gerry O'Donoghue, the chief regional officer in Ballymun says that the initiative has been a success; "If locals see drug dealing or anything suspicious they can call for assistance or pass on their information. The Gardai have been full of praise for the operation," he says.

With over 100 million people in the world tapping into the mobile phone industry now more than ever it's good to talk.