People living in almost every town in Ireland should be able to sign up for high-speed internet by March 2005 under a new Eircom strategy to extend its broadband service to all parts of the State, writes Jamie Smyth, Technology Reporter
The telecoms firm, which has been criticised for its slow roll out of broadband up until now, will unveil a plan later today that it promises will transform Ireland into a "broadband leader".
Eircom will also ask the Government to divert some of the €140 million funding that it announced last week to deliver broadband to 80 regional towns to be diverted to rural areas. The firm said yesterday that it welcomed the funding announcement from the Government but cautioned that it could result in a duplication of telecoms networks throughout the Republic.
Broadband is a technology that enables people to connect to the internet at speeds at least 10 times faster than by using typical dial up internet connections. It is also a vital tool that enables businesses to trade more efficiently.
Eircom plans to offer high speed internet to consumers and businesses in more than 150 towns across the State, some of which have a population of less than 1,500 people.
New towns that will get broadband under the Eircom scheme include Ballinrobe, Banagher, Donabate, Dunmanway, Kilcock, Kinsealy, Moate, Portrane, Prosperous, Rathangan, Ratoath and Sallins.
The company will also set up a website in January where people living in small towns and villages of less than 1,500 people without access to Eircom's broadband product, I-stream, can register an interest to receive broadband.
When between 200 and 700 people register an interest for subscribing for broadband in that area, Eircom will seek to offer broadband using a range of different internet technologies.
Mr David McRedmond, Eircom's commercial director, said Eircom's new strategy would help make the breakthrough for broadband in the Republic.
"We think we can drive the uptake of broadband even in towns with less than 1,500 people through our promotions," he said. "We think Ireland can be a broadband leader."
Eircom estimates it will enable between 1.25 to 1.5 million telphone lines in the State for digital subscriber line (DSL) technology. There are between 1.6 to 1.7 million fixed lines in Ireland.
DSL is a technology that upgrades normal telephone lines to be able to transmit data at very high speeds. When using the technology customers can stay connected to the web continually without incurring any extra cost.
Eircom's strategy will go some way towards addressing the current digital divide that exists between the Dublin area, which is typically well served by broadband suppliers, and regional areas where often little or no broadband is available to people.
However, it is likely that some customers living in towns enabled for DSL may not be able to sign up for broadband. This could occur if they live more than four kilometres from a telephone exchange or the quality of their telephone line is poor.
Eircom's decision to extend its broadband service follows criticism of the firm's strategy by Government and rivals for more than two years.
They have accused Eircom of being slow to roll out broadband and maintaining wholesale and retail prices that are too high.
Figures provided by Eircom to The Irish Times yesterday show that 30,000 people in the Republic have signed up for some form of broadband service.
The firm is currently taking about 1,200 orders per week for its promotional offer for its i-stream DSL service and says it is on target to sign up at least 70,000 customers by the end of 2004. It expects rival companies will sign up about 30,000 customers.
Eircom also said that 50,000 people had now signed up to receive flat rate internet packages based on a dial-up service.