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On-line pressure group, Ireland Offline, said on Wednesday that it wanted people here not to use the Internet on that date. It also called for businesses to replace the front pages of their Web sites with a page explaining Ireland Offline's aims and said other forms of protest could include messages of support in e-mail signatures and answering machine messages.
Ireland Offline said that its "Blackout" day was necessary because of the continuing delays in introducing affordable Internet access here. "Ireland is supposed to be the e-commerce hub of Europe, but we are falling further behind because of the lack of ADSL or cable modem access options, particularly for small businesses," commented Adam Beecher, acting public relations officer for Ireland Offline. "For instance, Spain is not known as a leading Internet country, but it has a substantial number of DSL customers. Ireland has none."
"Also, the fact that the introduction of the Communications Bill, which would have seen the establishment of a new telecoms regulatory body, has been delayed until next year will mean further hold-ups in bringing about such services," he added.
Beecher told ElectricNews.Net that the organisation's intention was not to damage trade, but it felt that something needed to be done. "It is a necessary evil because this issue badly needs to be highlighted," he commented. He said that although many Net protests in the past have failed, this action is more about educating people and businesses about the problem. "It will also send a clear message to the ISPs that a significant portion of their customers are disillusioned with the current situation and are demanding the roll-out of competitive services."
Beecher did admit that there would be losses for companies if people and businesses did protest on the day, but said they would be easily absorbed if the campaign was a success. "In the short-term there will be losses, but in the long-term the benefits for businesses will be enormous," he remarked.
The Ireland Offline user group was formed earlier this year in response to Esat Fusion's decision to cut off 2,000 subscribers of its "Surf NoLimits" program. The organisation, whose aim is the introduction of affordable flat-rate and high-speed Internet access services in Ireland, has over 1,000 members.
In Ireland access to high-speed Internet services and flat-rate Internet has been hampered by regulatory disputes and claims from companies that the provision of such services are not cost effective. Eircom's DSL product, i-stream, has been put on hold due to a dispute between the company and the ODTR over the cost of the company's proposed wholesale ADSL product.
Additionally at a seminar organised by Ireland Offline earlier in the year, Derek Kickham, chief executive officer of Esat Fusion, said that Internet access in Ireland had stalled. "Since September, 2000, no innovative Net access products have been launched. It seems that we are stuck in a time warp," Kickham said at the time. He went to say that Esat had "put its money where its mouth was" in introducing subscription free and off-peak flat-rate access. "Realistically, however, the only sustainable economic model for providing Internet access at the moment is to charge by the minute," he remarked at the seminar.
For further information visit http://www.irelandoffline.com..
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