Eircom may be split into four separate units

The owners of eircom are reportedly considering a plan to split the company into three or four separate units.

Reports this morning say the plan proposes the creation of a core network operation for wholesale clients, a retail operation for domestic and mobile users and a business operation for commercial clients.

A fourth unit could also be created by separating the Meteor mobile phone operation from the rest of the retail arm.

Eircom's Australian owners, Babcock and Brown, have already announced a plan to sell off the retail operations, while retaining control over the wholesale network.