Businesses unhappy with quality of telecommunications infrastructure

ALMOST half of businesses outside Dublin are unhappy with the quality of the telecommunications infrastructure.

A survey by IBEC's Telecommunications Users Group (TUG) has found that many companies are unhappy with the quality of service they are getting from their telecoms supplier and are frustrated with the industry regulator.

Support for the Commission for Communications Regulation has slumped from 54% of businesses to just 36%. Many firms want the powers of ComReg to increase and for better enforcement of competition as two-thirds of companies find it difficult to compare prices between the various phone companies.

The findings show a marked contrast between companies in Dublin and those outside the capital. Just over three-quarters of companies in Dublin believe the current infrastructure was adequate.

"On an overall national level, 41% of companies surveyed, stated there is inadequate infrastructure in their location and 74% of those felt that the lack of infrastructure has had a negative impact on aspects of their business. While there is evidence that improvements are being made it is clear that they are not happening quickly, particularly in more peripheral regions. Improvement of telecommunications services appears to be focused mainly on cities and large towns, leaving more rural areas at a serious disadvantage and under served by the current market," the report said.

One of the key findings of the report was that 59% of companies said that broadband services were not available in their locations.

TUG chairman Paul McSweeney said the report highlighted the ever-increasing gap between the services available to companies in urban areas and those in non-urban areas. "Businesses in rural areas are finding themselves at a distinct disadvantage."

Mr McSweeney said it was time for these companies to begin "helping themselves by forming group broadband schemes."

He also urged greater price transparency so that customers are better informed when deciding to sign with a supplier.

"Although the majority of those surveyed found it relatively easy to change their service provider when asked how easy it was to compare prices in order to find the best deal, many companies found this quite difficult," the report said.