Failure of telecom entrants to be addressed

The failure of new entrant operators in Ireland’s telecom sector to win public sector contracts is an anomaly which must be addressed, according to ALTO, the representative association of alternative operators in the communications market.

Chairman Iarla Flynn said: “Recently Minister Ahern issued a set of Policy Directions to Comreg in which he acknowledges that there is a need to continue to increase competition in the communications sector.

“We have the unusual situation where new entrants are good enough to win 20% of the open market, but they have approximately 0% of the public sector spending.”