One of the applicants for the wireless telecoms licences to be announced by the Director of Telecommunications Regulation next week has said it will invest $100 million (€96.9 million) and create up to 400 jobs, if its application succeeds. BroadNet, a Brussels-based communications group, says it has already received 500 applications for jobs, following an advertising campaign in local media.
BroadNet hopes to win one of the broadband licences which will allow the transmission of voice and Internet services to customers independent of Telecom Eireann's network. It is one of six companies that have applied to the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation for four licences.
Mr Robert Condon, BroadNet chief executive, says the company has secured "options" on a new premises in Ballsbridge, Dublin, and it has six "prime" city centre sites in place for interconnecting its network. These have been secured through collaboration with GCI, an Irish telecommunications network planning company.
BroadNet is 20 per cent owned by Mr Condon and Irish entrepreneur and non-executive director, Mr Declan Ganley. Their holding is in the name of European Telecom Holdings, while the remainder is owned by US-based Comcast, the third-largest cable broadband entertainment and communications group in the US, with revenues last year of more than $5 billion.
If successful in its application, this will be the first time BroadNet has rolled out its network - based entirely on Internet protocol - anywhere in Europe. It is currently operating a pilot system in Brussels, due for launch in August, and it developed a narrowband system in Glasgow several years ago.
"This network would be the first of its type in Europe, because Ireland has decided to license a wireless spectrum ahead of the rest of Europe," Mr Condon said.
BroadNet says it plans to have its Dublin network in operation within 120 days of receiving the licence. After that, the network will be rolled out to Limerick, Cork and Galway, and, within three years, it has undertaken to service 30 towns in 21 counties.
This exceeds the terms set down by the ODTR which stipulates the successful licensee must establish a presence in 15 counties.
Mr Condon says the BroadNet network, which is based on microwave technology, is faster to implement as it does not involve the costly process of laying fibre optic cable.
BroadNet will target business consumers, particularly in the SME sector, looking for high-speed Internet access and electronic commerce services. Mr Condon says Ireland is perfectly located to provide large US companies with a communications bridge to Europe.
"If we build an early wireless network in Ireland, it could really speed ahead to attract a lot more industries from the US seeking large amounts of bandwidth capacity," Mr Condon said.
Other applicants for the broadband licences are: Esat Telecom; Formus Communications, an international company specialising in broadband services; Ocean, the joint venture between the ESB and British Telecom; Princes Holdings and Telecom Eireann.
