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In the papers 20 September
Friday, September 20 2002
by Sylvia Leatham


ODTR says it will not change terms of 3G licences | Riverdeep shares plummet
after profits warning

The Irish Independent reports that NetIQ, a US provider of computer systems, is
setting up an operations centre in Galway that will create 180 new jobs. Full
story to follow on ElectricNews.net.



The paper also reports that shares in e-learning company Riverdeep plunged 16
percent on Thursday after an apparent profits warning from the company. It seems
the company is expecting lower sales and earnings for 2003 due to its recent
acquisition of Broderbund. However, there was confusion among analysts as
Riverdeep failed to respond to calls. Shares are down 33 percent in the past five
days and were trading at about USD8 on the Nasdaq early on Thursday.



The paper also says that Dublin-based electronic security company AEP Systems has
acquired the British hardware operations of Baltimore Technologies for STG4
million. Read the full story as reported by href="/news.html?code=8625324">ElectricNews.net
on Thursday. 



The same paper says the Nice referendum will feature electronic voting in seven
constituencies. The constituencies are Dublin West, Dublin North, Meath - all of
which voted electronically in the general election - and Dublin Mid-West, Dublin
South, Dublin South-West and Dun Laoghaire. However, the government may have to
reschedule its electronic voting plans if a legal challenge calling for proper
bilingual facilities succeeds in the High Court.



The paper also reports that Bank of Ireland is expected to confirm the
continuation of its IT joint venture with Perot Systems. The venture was due to
be wound up until BoI's proposed IT merger with AIB was shelved. The 400 or so IT
staff who have been working in the joint venture for the past four years will be
informed of the bank's decision on Friday.



The paper also says that AIB has become the first bank to offer interest on
credit balances in on-line business current accounts, as noted by href="/news.html?code=8625397">ElectricNews.net
on Thursday.



The paper adds that Telecommunication & Computer Services Ireland (TCSI) has
launched Ireland's first public Internet telephone service, ePhone.ie. The Dublin
company offers customers international calls at a reduced rate by using the
Internet to bypass international tariffs. TCSI has spent EUR2.8 million
developing its services in the last three years and is now seeking EUR1.7 million
in new funding. 



According to the Irish Times, the ODTR (Office of the Director of
Telecommunications Regulation) will not change the terms of 3G licences for
mobile operators, in spite of moves by the European Commission to persuade
telecoms regulators to be more lenient. The decision by regulator Etain Doyle
follows recent complaints by mobile operators Vodafone and O2 about the structure
of the competition to award the licences. Speaking at an ODTR conference, Doyle
said "We have had no thought about making changes," and she expressed
confidence that 3G services would be launched in the Republic by 2004.



The paper also says that Eircom has criticised the way the telecoms regulator
raises money from operators. The company has called for a more transparent
process to ensure firms are not overcharged. Eircom also called for the
introduction of a new levy system based on the same one that is used by the
British telecoms regulator Oftel.



In more news on Eircom, the paper says the company has submitted bids to build
fibre-optic networks in Cork, Galway and Donegal for the government's scheme to
roll out broadband infrastructure. Eircom had initially opposed the project,
saying it would compete with its business. It is thought the firm has now dropped
its opposition in the hope of gleaning some revenue from the multimillion euro
project for its construction arm.



The paper also reports on the winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the
Year Awards. Padraig O Ceidigh, managing director of Aer Arann Express, took home
the main prize; Andrew Jones, managing director of Clearstream Technologies,
won the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award; and Brian McCarthy, chief
executive of Fexco, was given the International Services Entrepreneur prize.



According to the Financial Times, former Global Crossing president David Walsh
was warned a year and a half before the company went bankrupt that deals it was
making were questionable. Internal e-mails that have been uncovered by
Congressional investigators are the first documentation that show top executives
were aware that deals with other telecommunications companies could destroy the
company. The mails show that officials throughout the company were aware the
deals were gimmicks to create revenue. "Everyone from the president to the mail
room boy knew the deals were phoney," said Ken Johnson, a senior aide to Billy
Tauzin, who is chairing the inquiry into Global Crossing.



The Wall Street Journal reports that the National Association of Securities
Dealers (NASD) is preparing to file administrative charges of securities fraud
against Salomon Smith Barney and its former telecommunications analyst Jack
Grubman. People familiar with the situation said the charges would stem from the
firm's positive research reports on Winstar Communications, a telecoms company
that filed for bankruptcy protection last year. The NASD is focusing on whether
Grubman misled investors by touting shares of Winstar, one of Salomon's
investment-banking clients, in spite of evidence that the company was in deep
financial trouble.