Rural broadband plan: 5G technology is unproven

THE government is being encouraged to abandon or at least limit in scope its National Broadband Plan for rural Ireland. Imagine Communications, the wireless broadband provider, is promising to provide up to half a million users with high-speed broadband via a roof aerial by building hundreds of masts in rural areas.

The offer is tempting: Imagine says it will invest up to €300 million in its service using 5G technology and the company will not be seeking any state subsidy. That could potentially save the taxpayer €1billion.