ALTHOUGH LARGE Irish businesses are concerned about the availability of broadband, it has not impacted their investment plans, according to a new study.
In-depth interviews with 16 of Ireland's top 50 companies, carried out on behalf of communications regulator ComReg, found that broadband availability was most impacting their ability to trade electronically with suppliers and customers.
A wider survey of 574 Irish businesses of all sizes found that nearly one in three (32 per cent) have experienced difficulties with the quality and coverage of voice services provided by their mobile operators in the past year.
Despite high awareness of the EU-mandated reduction in European roaming charges the level of satisfaction with roaming costs has decreased. A total of 59 per cent were either not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with roaming costs, up from 34 per cent in 2006.
Although Eircom is still the main provider of fixed-line services, with a 68 per cent market share, this had declined from 72 per cent in 2006. Thirty per cent of businesses now use at least one other provider, with 18 per cent relying entirely on alternative providers. Corporate customers (33 per cent) are more likely to switch phone line suppliers rather than smaller enterprises (17 per cent).
A total of 88 per cent of small businesses have an internet connection and 82 per cent of these have some form of broadband.
