affordable satellite broadband anywhere

The 4% Club

Eircom has now announced that it is on the last phase of enabling exchanges for DSL Broadband. When this phase is completed, (no time frame given, but probably in the next two years), if you aren't able to get DSL broadband, then you might not get it at all!

You'll then, officially, be a member of The 4% Club, whether you want to be or not!

If your local exchange isn't on the list below then your'e already a member! Welcome to the club!

Eircom was contracted to ensure that 96% of the population would have access to broadband. As far as Eircom is concerned, when that figure is reached, then it's job done. They won't have to worry about the remaining 'awkward' 4% and the difficult 'last mile' connections.

This means that approximately 170,000 people living in the rural communities will have been abandoned to struggle with dial-up internet access.

The Rural Communities

'Information and Communications Technology (ICT); ' ...a commitment to ensuring that the necessary physical and telecommunications infrastructure is provided and that rural communities are enabled to exploit the enormous potential of ICT...'

extract from 'Ensuring the Future - A Strategy for Rural Development in Ireland' (the White Paper on Rural Development, 1999)

'Bridging the Broadband Gap

Benefits of broadband for rural areas and less developed regions

Europe’s less-developed regions, rural and remote areas have so much to gain from the Information Society. Broadband is the backbone of the knowledge society, providing access to advanced public services and richer multimedia content for entertainment, training and work. With broadband connections, new forms of business innovation can transform the lives of individuals, increase social cohesion and contribute to economic growth. But the communities whose economies are most likely to benefit from broadband are currently the worst placed to profit from the Information Society due to lack of connectivity and socio-economic factors.'

extract from 'Broadband Gap 2007: Conference & Exhibition (Brussels, 14 -15 May 2007)'

Encouraging words in a white paper in 1999, but in 2007 the reality is very much different! Once again the rural communities are being penalised as far as Information Technology is concerned (don't get me started on the roads and the health service!), and there seems to be no future in pleading, entreating or trying to cajole Eircom to 'do the right thing'. Big business interests and shareholders will always take precedence. Our government leaders should be taking the initiative and ensuring that the strategy formulated in 1999 is carried through to give us all a fair chance.

If it can be done in Northern Ireland then it can be done here!

Update as of 1st April, 2009

Three.ie, mobile broadband providers, have been awarded the contract to provide all the areas that don't yet have broadband under the National Broadband Scheme. Disappointingly, even though it's called the National Broadband Scheme there seems to be a lot of areas that still won't be covered!

Check here to see if your area is covered.

Do you recognise this for a dial-up experience?

click here for a list of exchanges due to be enabled

click here to see the situation in Northern Ireland

Latest Update from 'Broadband Gap 2007 Conference:

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/broadband_gap_2007/index_en.htm

To get more information or to order skyDSL just click on the links