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IBEC's Telecommunications User Group has again criticised the delay in bringing broadband to the regions and called for lower charges to help stimulate demand.
In its annual policy statement, TUG said that the government and regulators should put pressure on Eircom to accelerate its implementation of competitively-priced DSL services throughout the country. Eircom's digital subscriber line service provides high-speed Internet connections for a flat monthly fee, but TUG wants to see rates of around EUR30 to EUR40 a month compared to current charges of more than EUR107.
TUG has also called for the creation of a National Broadband Management Agency, which would have responsibilities that are currently divided among various agencies such as the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation and the Department of Public Enterprise.
"Because there are so many people responsible for broadband implementation, it would be better to set up a specific agency in order to have a co-ordinated approach," said Nickey Brennan, chairman of TUG, speaking to ElectricNews.net.
"Eircom has given a DSL rollout plan, but it's hard to see when it's going to happen," said Brennan. "It's also unclear where it's going to be implemented first, whether the telecoms infrastructure will be able to handle the rollout, and whether it will counteract the digital divide."
TUG also called for the establishment of an international carrier-neutral Internet exchange in Ireland. He claimed that large multi-nationals are currently required to use Internet exchanges that are based abroad, which adds to their telecommunications costs.
In terms of cost, TUG referred to a benchmarking study carried out by Forfas in March, which found that Ireland is ranked as the most expensive country in the SME category and the ninth most expensive for large organisations in terms of broadband competitiveness.
TUG's report called for more transparency in telecommunications pricing, to allow customers to make informed choices when selecting the appropriate service providers for their business.
"Although carriers do provide detailed pricing information, it's difficult for businesses to compare costs between carriers," said Brennan. "Many telecoms bundle their services and prices vary according to time of day and call destination, so it's nearly impossible to figure out who's giving the best value."
A spokesperson for Eircom told ElectricNews.net that the company is sticking to its schedule to bring DSL to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Killarney, Tralee, Westport and Sligo by the end of 2002. She also said that by the end of 2003, DSL services would be available in another 57 towns as well as throughout the greater Dublin area.
By that point broadband services will be available to over one million customers, which amounts to more than 50 percent of telephone subscribers, she said.
The Telecommunications User Group is a body within IBEC, open to people with an interest in telecoms services and pricing, such as telecommunications managers or IT managers. More information on the group's activities is at the IBEC Web site.
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