Peter Erskine, chief executive of O2 Ireland's parent company, MmO2, has refuted claims Irish mobile phone prices are a "rip off".

In a submission to an Oireachtas Committee, the Chairwoman of ComReg, Etain Doyle has said that Irish mobile prices are amongst the highest in Europe.

THE telecoms’ regulator has proposed measures to encourage phone users to change operators and to extend the time Eircom can target lost customers.

METEOR, the third mobile phone operator in Ireland, believes it has a cast iron case for access to roaming facilities on the transmission systems of the two major players in the market.

The ComReg quarterly report has revealed that mobile are users are sending more text messages.

AN POST’S €10 million plan to supply half a million roadside letterboxes for private households has been spiked by the communications regulator.

TELEPHONE bills are set for a 5% across-the-board increase following a decision by the industry watchdog yesterday to ease the price controls placed on Eircom.

The cost of telephone calls in Ireland will go up this year by 5% - matching the current rate of inflation – following a decision by the country’s Commissioner for Communications.

AN POST was warned yesterday that it can’t go ahead with its plan to introduce 500,000 roadside letter boxes unless it is approved by the industry watchdog.

The Communications Regulator says An Post will not be introducing gate boxes until final consultations are agreed between herself and the postal service.

AN Post will have to get a major price rise if it does not secure the go-ahead for the controversial roadside letter boxes, their spokesman claimed yesterday

EIRCOM’S fortunes have dipped sharply since it was bought by Dr Tony O’Reilly and US private investors in November 2001.

Dermot Ahern, the Minister for Communication, Marine and Natural Resources is to set up the new Commission for Communication Regulation (Comreg) on 1 December, 2002.

TELECOMS regulator Etain Doyle has threatened to withdraw NTL’s digital licence if it does not explain why its customers are still denied access to a full digital service.

The Telecom Regulator, Etain Doyle, has called on interested parties to submit views on a recently published report, "The Future Delivery of Broadband in Ireland".

The Telecom Regulator, Etain Doyle, has warned that despite the developments made in a relatively short time in the Irish communications industry, growing costs could erode national competitiveness, if left unchecked.

IT’S cheaper to ring Africa or Asia from a discount call centre than it is to call a landline here on your mobile phone.

TV PROVIDERS Chorus and Ntl are calling for regulatory constraints to be removed so they can compete on a level playing field with Sky.

The ODTR issued a consultation paper on replacing licences which are currently issued for a variety of services with a standard general authorisation.

Members of the public are to be consulted about a proposed hike in postal charges.

The ODTR has announced details of a new and enhanced SMS service which will allow for a range of new mobile services to be offered by both mobile operators and service providers.

The Government-appointed Director of Telecommunications Regulation tonight gave the go-ahead for Ireland to have Europe’s first comprehensive framework for providing a wide new range of mobile phone services.

An Post is forecasting losses of up to €30m this year.

The ODTR yesterday issued a quarterly report for the period July to September, 2001. The report indicates that after three year of the markets being open, one fifth of total turnover is now in the hands of new entrants and prices have fallen substantially.

Eircom has recently launched its Eircom 11811 TeleConferencing Service.

Cable TV customers around the country are to face a hike in charges following the decision by the Director of Telecommunications Regulation to approve a price rise sought by NTL.

Communications provider Chorus is applying for a price hike for its basic television service.

TELECOM companies may need to build an extra 1,000 masts nationwide within the next three years.

There is speculation this morning that the media giant NTL could lose its licence to provide cable television and other services following confirmation that it is not keeping to a timetable for the rollout of digital TV.