Will Ireland make best use of its Digital Dividend?
ComReg's conference in
October highlighted Ireland's unique ability to drive major social
and economic benefits from the so-called Digital Dividend, the
spectrum surplus that will arise when analog television is ceased
around 2012. Poor Internet and broadband access is still rife among
Ireland's rural population, depressing economic and social
development in these areas.
The switch off of
analogue television will free up spectrum that could be used to
deliver services like wireless broadband to remote communities.
Ireland still hasn't outlined its plans for the spectrum, but the
potential is great. Our island geography and relatively small size
mean we could run fast with new services, as rollout could be rapid
and the potential for interference low.
The Minister for
Communications Eamon Ryan, speaking at the conference alongside
European Union Information Commissioner Vivian Reding, said he was
keen to see Ireland's broadband penetration increase and said the
country had natural advantages that would allow us to become a
test-bed for innovative services.
Reding herself is clearly excited at the potential for digital
dividend across Europe to spur competition by enabling the creation
of a significant wireless broadband infrastructure to compete with
fixed line. She called on Ireland to turn off its digital signal as
early as 2010 and plan now how to use this "once in a lifetime
opportunity" to reach out in particular to rural communities.
In Europe generally there is a push for the spectrum to be made
available for the benefit of citizens rather than simply be
auctioned to the highest bidders.
Interested parties should get ready to voice their views --
ComReg's public consultation document on its proposed strategy for
digital dividend is expected later this year.
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