TECHNOLOGY:IRELAND WILL have "broadband everywhere" by 2012, Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan said yesterday as he welcomed the focus in the plan on "digital infrastructure" as a driver of economic recovery.
Mr Ryan said he would “shortly” announce a new rural broadband scheme, complementing the current €230 million National Broadband Scheme, which would ensure all areas of the State could receive a service. The plan states that a pilot scheme, which delivers high-speed 100Mbit/sec broadband to 78 schools, will be extended to all secondary schools. This would be completed by the end of 2012.
A number of steps are to be taken to ensure that high-speed next generation networks are built in Ireland. These include ensuring that regulation allows for a “a collaborative approach to private investment”, “appropriate State investment” in areas where there is market failure, and the use of State infrastructure to facilitate the roll out of the new networks.
Mr Ryan said a Next Generation Broadband Taskforce would meet next month to see how investments in new networks could be made more attractive.
Ronan Lupton, chairman of telecoms industry group Alto, welcomed the move but questioned how effective the taskforce could be given Eircom’s dominance of the telecoms market. He said on the basis of services that Eircom is currently trailing, high-speed broadband would not be delivered nationwide until 2018.