Broadband coverage map of Ireland

Sorry to harp on about this, but I wonder whether this broadband map -- from a government website -- is accurate? It shows areas already covered by broadband and 'imminent' coverage (as of May, 2007). Look at Donegal! According to Eircom, by the way, about 82 per cent of phone lines in the country are now broadband enabled.

Comments

[Justin Mason]

Some of those wireless blobs look suspiciously round and solid. wireless generally has line-of-sight and other limitations that make it unsuitable for many potential customers.

http://www.mulley.net/2006/04/29/broadband-in-ireland-coverage-map/
has another, DSL-only map, which is a lot less generous.

[Damien Mulley]

Completely incorrect map. Look at Wexford too. You know how they built it? They marked out everywhere that had DSL exchanges and said that had 100% coverage (line failures are brushed over) then they asked all the wireless ISPs for coverage maps. The main guys were honest. Some smaller wireless ISPs were a bit enthusiastic "Yeah, we cover all of Wexford, 100%" and the DCMNR took them for their word.

My own DSL map is a bit old now but the circles just need to be expanded a small bit. I can give you all the GPS coordinates of the enabled exchanges and you can have a GIS guy run a map if you like.

Other non-eircom ISPs are telling me DSL coverage still stands at 70% because of line failures. 82% X 88% (line failure)= 72% or thereabouts. The line failure rates are much higher than expected on the exchanges they've started rolling out this year and while it was easy in the big cities to fix the dodgy lines, it seems the job is much bigger in rural areas.

Also, talk to Digiweb, they are still getting 70 Sat orders a month from people who are desperate for broadband for business and cannot get anything else.

[Adrian]

Hey Damien,

The 82 per cent figure I quoted is 95 per cent of 86 per cent. Eircom claims that 86 per cent of working lines are linked to enabled exchanges. And that 95 per cent of those "pre-qualify". I guess I'm taking them at their word -- it's just too hard to verify without spending months doing undercover-style work. This is definitely a limitation of our kind of journalism and it's fair enough for anyone to point that out.
On the map, it's again tough to query the testimony of the wireless providers. Yesterday, I talked to crowd called Skellig Broadband who told me that they have the entire island of Valentia covered. Again, I guess I have to take their word that it is covered (or go down there and check all parts of the island personally).
I will try to check into the veracity of that map, though. And I will talk to Digiweb.
Incidentally, if you're not exclusively tied to the Tribune (though imagine you are), want to write a short piece making those points? Or perhaps someone from the old IOFFL might be interested... (I'll be writing a feature more-or-less arguing that (basic) broadband availability is almost rectified in the country.)

[Damien Mulley]

I'll ssee can I get you someone from IOFFL that's not me. Eircom are claiming 95%? Wow. I suggested before that they release the failure rate per exchange and they declined.

Actually on the map too, some other providers went into great detail with GPS coordinates and everything and the DCMNR didn't even put their areas on the map. Last time I chatted to an over-worked DCMNR staffer they were tasked with about 3 other jobs too as so many had deserted that ship and were not being replaced because of decentralisation. So when I saw the map I wasn't too surprised at the mess.