Ireland faces huge broadband challenges

IRELAND still faces an uphill challenge if it is to achieve a quality nationwide broadband internet network in the short-to-medium term, an industry conference was told yesterday.

Most of the main players in the Irish telecommunications industry were present and active at the annual conference of the IBEC-affiliated Telecommunications and Internet Federation (TIF), at Dublin Castle.

One of the major issues addressed in the afternoon session was the realistic chance of Ireland delivering a proper broadband network within the next five-to-six years. BT Ireland chief executive Chris Clark suggested that it was “highly unlikely” without the local loop unbundling issue being sorted out first.