Telecoms Poodle
TELECOMS POODLE SIGHTING: In Ireland, it's ComReg, the Communications Regulator. Consumers can thank this tax-funded organisation for ensuring Ireland remains at the top of the telecoms table for cost of broadband subscriptions. In fact, it's a double-coated honour because Ireland's high costs of broadband connectivity come bundled with one of the lowest rates of uptake for broadband in Europe.
Ireland's telecoms poodle earns top marks for pumping up the bottom line of the dominant Irish telco, ensuring broadband stays as far away from small business as practical, and keeping local loop unbundling on the long finger.
In a regulated market such as Ireland's telecommunications sector, ComReg has prioritised the financial stability of the State's largest telecommunications company over the high-speed connectivity requirements of its business and home office taxpayers. This makes ComReg complicit in Ireland's broadband deficit.
What should we do? Unbundle the local loop. But don't count on that initiative coming from the Irish telecoms poodle.
Bonus Link: Irish bloggers talking about telecoms.
