E-net, the firm managing the Government's telecoms infrastructure, has criticised Eircom for not offering affordable connections to two of its networks.
The State's metropolitan area networks in Gweedore, Co Donegal and Kiltimagh, Co Mayo are lying idle because E-net is not able to secure cheap "backhaul" - telecoms connections that can carry traffic back to Dublin.
The two fibre networks cost several million euro to build and lay and are a key part of the Government's strategy to provide the latest telecoms infrastructure in regional areas to attract inward investment and employment.
John Lawlor, E-net's marketing manager, said Eircom was the only firm in a position to provide the connectivity required. E-net faced a challenge to attract users to the network in the areas, he added.
He said the backhaul prices being quoted by Eircom were too high to enable E-net to attract other firms to use the networks.
In a statement last night Eircom said it was not its responsibility to provide connectivity to someone else's network. "It's a competitive market with a regulated range of products, set at geographically averaged prices as required by the regulator.
"Eircom is delighted to offer the exact same products and services, with standard terms and conditions, as we offer to any other customer," the company said in the statement.
Eircom has been a trenchant critic of the Government's €170 million strategy to build its own networks in regional towns.
It has previously warned that these State broadband networks would duplicate its own network.
E-net, which is currently managing 20 regional broadband networks on behalf of the State, has issued a multimillion euro tender seeking firms that can provide connectivity to its networks.
The new tender covers the 20 existing metropolitan area networks that are already managed by E-net.
It also is asking firms to submit offers to link a further 94 networks scheduled to be built in towns across the State.
"It is possible that the request for tender will unblock these areas by persuading firms to take a fresh look at providing backhaul to these areas," said Mr Lawlor.
He added that RTÉ may be able to offer connectivity in at least one of the two areas.
Most of the other State regional networks managed by E-net have benefited from special backhaul deals negotiated with the ESB and BT Ireland. But Eircom is the only fixed telecoms firms that can offer connectivity in Gweedore and Kiltimagh.
It remains unclear how many of the extra 94 networks that are scheduled to be built by the State could face similar problems in attracting backhaul capacity.
