What The Politicians Have To Say About Broadband
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Dublin Chamber of Commerce organised an event this morning in which a member of each of the political parties was invited to attend and take questions from the Dublin Chamber members on election issues. Mirian O'Calaghan MC'ed and tried to keep them to the point. Because it's not very often that we get a chance to have our say in these things, I went along and posed a question about broadband. Below is my question and the answers that came from the various representatives. Take from it what you like. But it's very clear to me who has a clue about broadband and who doesn't.
Question: I would like to ask the panel how they plan to deliver the broadband infrastructure that is needed for a knowledge based economy. I run an internet business and have had to move 3 times in the last 2 years. Each time I was without broadband for an average of 6 weeks. When I telephoned Com Reg to see what they could do about my poor broadband service, I was surprised to discover that they are not responsible for this area. What are your specific policies that you have for broadband provision? What specific ideas do you have to provide commitment and accountability in the provision of broadband infrastructure?"
Note that I said specific twice!!
The replies were as follows:
- Oisin Quinn, Labour: eircom has too much control. We need local loop unbundling and a regulator with teeth. Either expand the powers of Com Reg or establish a new regulator.
- Sean Ardagh, Fianna Fail: broadband is 'a failure for all of us'. There is a difficulity for local loop unbundling to be delivered at a competitive price. He then took credit for the increase in the number of broadband subscribers since 2002.
- Richard Bruton, Fine Gael: believes we should move to tender for 100% coverage like in Northern Ireland. 'If we're going to go for it let's build and be ambitious". For knowledge is a key sector in the economy. . . bla bla . . he lost me there when he went into politician speak.
- Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein: talked about collaboration between Universities being important. Didn't answer the question.
- Eamonn Ryan, Green Party: encourage competition between cable, mobile and fixed line providers. Encourage more competition between the three. If that doesn't work, buy the network back! When Miriam O'Callaghan asked how much that would cost, he said €2 billion. But given the €300 million per year we're spending on [something else I didn't catch?], it would be a good investment.
- Liz O'Donnell, PD: didn't answer the question
So there you have it. As far as I can gather, the incumbent government parties (FF and PD) have no policy on broadband. The Shinners don't really get it. Greens offer the most radical approach. Labour, perhaps the most logical. FG gave the most waffly political. However, overall on the day - Richard Bruton did come across as one of the most well prepared.
Labels: Government Broadband Policy
4 Comments:
Eamonn is on the broadband committee for the Oireachtas so should know more than most on the matter. The 300M is possibly what the Govt pays to eircom in phone bills every year. The taxpayer also pays about 400m a year on line rental alone to them.
FG have no proper policy. When I chatted to the FB spokesperson on telecoms before I got "Awful isn't it? Ah well, see ya." Richard Bruton has no clue on the area, it is Bernard Durkan who is meant to know this area though you'd expect them all to have some kind of clue. Pity Phil Hogan wasn't given the brief.
Sean Ardagh, whos is related to councillor Charlie Ardagh, formerly of Leap and Magnet networks. Magnet of course pulled out of consumer broadband because of the state of affairs in this country. Will Sean take credit for the highest wholesale costs of telecoms in europe and highest line rental costs? Good.
I don't think any party honestly had put thought and effort into broadband. Perhaps people need to complain more about it and more vocally.
The oireachtas (brodband.oireachtas.ie) had a report on broadband that made 12 recommendations. So far none have been taken up and used. All recommendations are valid. For me the biggest change you could make though is fire ComReg and all the ComReg employees and let the competition authority take over. Things can only improve then.
I agree Damien - I don't think any party has put thought and effort into broadband. Sean Ardagh was commenting about something else this morning (extension of Luas line - there was lots of talk about transport) and he said "if we have to build, we have to build and that can't be avoided"....I just wish they would carry the same argument into our digital infrastructure - but they won't. Because they don't get it. And because there are more votes to be had from offering to add more buses.
By Brightspark Dublin, at 2:22 PM
That's a pretty depressing reaction from our politicians. I'd advise them to take a look at what the state of Vermont in the US is doing with its e-state initiative.
By liam morrison, at 3:23 PM
Read this and weep...from Fractals of Change Blog:
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas in his inaugural address today in Montpelier: “I propose that by 2010, Vermont be the nation’s first true ‘e-state’ – the first state to provide universal cellular and broadband coverage everywhere and anywhere within its borders. When you turn on your laptop, you’re connected. When you hit the send button on your cell phone, the call goes through. There would be no more endless downloads, no more hopeless hellos, and no more ‘can you hear me now.’”
http://blog.tomevslin.com/2007/01/vermont_the_fir.html
By Brightspark Dublin, at 3:38 PM