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Eir is \u201ccertain\u201d it could roll out a national broadband plan for Ireland for under \u20ac1bn, a committee has heard.<\/p>\nEir is \u201ccertain\u201d it could roll out a national broadband plan for Ireland for under \u20ac1bn, a committee has heard.<\/p>\n
Eir CEO Carolan Lennon, appeared before an Oireachtas committee investigating the National Broadband Plan (NBP) process and how to roll out rural broadband across the country to more than 540,000 properties.<\/p>\n
Ms Lennon told members her company could complete the infrastructure to \u201cevery home and farm\u201d in Ireland at a much lower cost than the government\u2019s plan, which could cost the taxpayer up to \u20ac3bn.<\/p>\n
She estimates a cost for around \u20ac1bn over 25 years for the maintenance of network ducts and poles, and includes VAT.<\/p>\n
Ms Lennon\u2019s opening statement said that \u201cthe logic\u201d of not using fiber Eir has already installed, but duplicating their work, \u201cis not clear to us\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is clear to us that we can build rural fiber infrastructure at a lower cost than is currently envisaged in the plans,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no secret in that.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that: \u201cThe quality of service would be equal to what we provide for the current 300,000 (rural homes they are already contracted to deliver fiber broadband for).\u201d<\/p>\n
The National Broadband plan has caused considerable consternation since its inception, including the withdrawal of Eir from the original tendering process after 18 months, and the shock resignation of former communications minister Denis Naughten after it emerged he held a number of meetings with David McCourt, Granahan McCourt\u2019s chief executive.<\/p>\n
The US-based investment firm is now the government\u2019s preferred bidder for the contract.<\/p>\n
Eir also does not believe that a three-year build time is realistic for the roll-out for the plan, it estimates around five to seven years is more accurate \u2013 and that it would not be willing to re-enter the NBP plan in its current form.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe certainly don\u2019t want to re-enter the NBP in its current form, we\u2019re a commercial company, we know how to do this, if there was another form where it was commercially sensible to do this, we would,\u201d Ms Lennon said.<\/p>\n
It emerged during the committee that Richard Moat, who was then Eir CEO, wrote to the minister to inform him that Eir would be pulling out, as the plan was not commercially viable, but told the minister they could provide the fiber broadband for a \u201cfraction of the price\u201d but never heard back from the minister.<\/p>\n
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said that the minister had this knowledge, and that he did not reply was \u201cjust incredible\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was noted by Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Rose Conway Walsh that there have been \u201cyears of torment\u201d for some people attempting to reach Eir\u2019s customer service team and a general lack of investment in rural Ireland by the company.<\/p>\n
Ms Walsh said that \u201ceyebrows were raised\u201d when Eir announced its broadband plan, considering some of the public opinion.<\/p>\n
Ms Lennon replied that the company has made great efforts in solving the issue, and most customer service calls are being answered within 90 seconds.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have history and people are skeptical, but the proof will be in the pudding,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople will be able to get fibre broadband because of Eir\u2019s investment.\u201d<\/p>\n