E-net, the firm managing the Government's telecoms infrastructure, has criticised Eircom for not offering affordable connections to two of its networks.
The State's metropolitan area networks in Gweedore, Co Donegal and Kiltimagh, Co Mayo are lying idle because E-net is not able to secure cheap "backhaul" - telecoms connections that can carry traffic back to Dublin.
The two fibre networks cost several million euro to build and lay and are a key part of the Government's strategy to provide the latest telecoms infrastructure in regional areas to attract inward investment and employment.
John Lawlor, E-net's marketing manager, said Eircom was the only firm in a position to provide the connectivity required. E-net faced a challenge to attract users to the network in the areas, he added.
He said the backhaul prices being quoted by Eircom were too high to enable E-net to attract other firms to use the networks.
In a statement last night Eircom said it was not its responsibility to provide connectivity to someone else's network. "It's a competitive market with a regulated range of products, set at geographically averaged prices as required by the regulator."