Sir, - The report by Barry O'Keeffe (The Irish Times, December 9th), that the Telecommunications Regulator is to issue exclusive licences, in fact monopolies, to cable and MMDS companies to enable them to "roll out" digital television is probably the first time the public has been made aware of this threat. Digital television would be available to every home in the country direct from satellite as in England, without going through cable or MMDS companies, and at far less cost. It is quite wrong that the public should have to pay these companies to provide a service which they can receive directly from Sky or the other digital broadcasters. Indeed, it appears that the regulator will deprive those citizens who cannot receive either cable or MMDS of their right to receive digital television direct.
Sky Digital, with 150-plus channels, is available to British homes at less than half the price that we have to pay for 12 channels to our MMDS companies.
It is reported that some of these are to sue our Government for vast sums. These companies have failed to provide a service to many homes in the country, so the Government should have adequate defence. Let us hope that the cronyism that the major Government party has shown with big business in the recent past will not be repeated now. The matter is urgent. Commitments may be made between the Regulator and the companies on December 16th. - Yours, etc., James Young,
Glassely, Ballitore, Co Kildare.