Northern Ireland set for 100% Broadband

[MikeHunt]

Northern Ireland set for 100% broadband

Full broadband access is expected to be available throughout Northern Ireland by the end of next year.

The region will be the first in Europe to have 100% broadband access.

Broadband is the system which allows "always on" access to the internet at much faster speeds than traditional dial-up connections.

The government is keen to promote its take-up, saying use of broadband could produce £4.7bn in productivity and cost savings for small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.

On Monday, Enterprise Minister Ian Pearson said all homes and businesses would have broadband access.

BT has been awarded the contract to deliver the services by the end of 2005.

Through broadband, a small engineering firm is competing on the world's stage in the aerospace and automotive industry

Ian Pearson

Enterprise minister

Mr Pearson said local businesses would have a level playing field to compete in a global economy.

"This vitally important contract will deliver the government's broadband vision of a fully connected Northern Ireland. In turn it will help make Northern Ireland more competitive," he said.

The minister said Datum Tool Design in Ballynahinch - where the announcement was made - was a classic example of just how beneficial to business broadband could be.

"Here we have a small engineering firm located in a small town in Northern Ireland," said Mr Pearson.

"Yet, through broadband, it is competing on the world's stage in the aerospace and automotive industry."

'Tremendous boost'

Bill Murphy, the chief executive of BT Northern Ireland, said there had been "a groundswell for broadband availability" which had exceeded any other region of the UK or Europe.

"It is a tremendous tribute to be a key part of this momentum to enable all businesses and households in Northern Ireland and bring the very real benefits of connectivity," he said.

"This will ensure that Northern Ireland is a seriously attractive area for existing company expansion and new inward investment."

John Gilliland, the president of the Ulster Farmers' Union, said broadband access would be a tremendous boost to all rural areas.

"Many rural communities have already been campaigning to bring broadband to their locality.

"This demonstrates the demand for the service and having it available to every household in Northern Ireland will ensure that a rural/urban divide does not open up. It's very good news for rural families and rural businesses."

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_n...and/3578763.stm

:psychofun: :psychofun:

[MikeHunt]

Umma with Broadband....hmmmm

...be very very afraid :D :D :D

[Umma]

I'll believe it when I see it. British Telecom made promises to have 100% access by June 2000.... that never happened. Now 4 years further on and rural communities are going wireless as an alternative to waiting for the exchanges to be updated to digital. BT have been rewiring the country for the past 20 years in preparation for digital... so although we all have the appropriate wiring from exchange-homes, the exchanges are the problem, and British Telecom... have little or no intention of upgrading most of them without their customers having to spend countless hours campaigning and hitting a registration target before they even consider it.

It's hardly what you could call good service.

Buy me a satelite.... I'll be good ..... honest !

[DudeAsInCool]

Now that smoking's been banned there...will Broadband cure the urge?

[Umma]

I doubt it.... considering it's going to be almost two years before 100% coverage is implemented fully....

that's a long time to be gasping!

[Malicious Intent]

I'll believe it when I see it. British Telecom made promises to have 100% access by June 2000.... that never happened. Now 4 years further on and rural communities are going wireless as an alternative to waiting for the exchanges to be updated to digital. BT have been rewiring the country for the past 20 years in preparation for digital... so although we all have the appropriate wiring from exchange-homes, the exchanges are the problem, and British Telecom... have little or no intention of upgrading most of them without their customers having to spend countless hours campaigning and hitting a registration target before they even consider it.

It's hardly what you could call good service.

Buy me a satelite.... I'll be good ..... honest !

Totally agreed.

Instead of giving the contract to BT, Oftel should fine BT if the don't provide 100% coverage within a set deadline. Give the money to those still without access. Then set a new deadline.

[Umma]

Instead of giving the contract to BT, Oftel should fine BT if the don't provide 100% coverage within a set deadline. Give the money to those still without access. Then set a new deadline.

That sounds like a plan... :D

I'd be happy enough if wireless were available... some smaller towns here (www.dundrumbroadband.com) are opting for satelite links and wireless relay rather than wait for BT.... though I hear there are a lot of teething problems causing too much downtime... six months on, I would have expected that to have been sorted.