Broadband campaigners have welcomed ComReg's decision to offer 59 fixed wireless access (FWALA) to eight companies.
Ireland Offline, which campaigns for better and cheaper broadband internet access, said there would be "many benefits" to the consumer from these offers.
The organisation said strict obligations laid down by the telecommunications regulator mean that service providers have to offer end-user products within a defined timescale.The licences will cumulatively offer greater geographical coverage than ADSL lines, Ireland OffLine said.
It said that because the spectrum used is licensed, a reliable service can be offered to end-users on a par with fixed-line broadband products without users having to worry about the distance from an exchange or the quality of their phone line.
Ireland OffLine said the main advantage of the licence offers is that they would give "a real choice" to consumers.
"For too long, internet users in Ireland have been forced to rely on Eircom or their resellers for broadband and internet access. This 'last mile monopoly' has led to high prices, lack of choice, delay and ongoing unavailability of affordable high-speed internet access."
Ireland Offline chairman, Mr Christian Cooke, said he hoped there would be good take-up of the offers by the applicant firms.
"People are crying out for choice and, for the first time, these licences create that possibility."
