ESB Telecoms delivers competition to the Irish market

ESB Telecoms has delivered competition to the Irish wholesale telecoms market, says Comreg report.

A recent review of the telecommunications leased-line market by the communications regulator, Comreg, found that: 46.2% of all leased line bandwidth in Ireland traveled on the ESBT network in September 2006; ESBT's market entry has been an enabler of competition; ESBT delivered previously unavailable highbandwidth services that were previously unavailable, which now allow other telcos to offer fixedline, wireless and mobile broadband and 3G mobile telephony and which will enable other telcos to offer next-generation network-type services.

The entry of ESB Telecoms in the wholesale leased line market has significantly increased competition within the market and diminished the ability of the incumbent provider to act independently of the market, the review concluded.

The first review of its kind by Comreg since 2004, the report found that one of the most significant factors in eliminating eircom's market dominance has been the entry of ESB Telecoms into the wholesale market.

ESB Telecoms is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ESB that has built, owns and operates a 1,300km fibre optic network and that has a portfolio of around 400 radio sites. The company offers wholesale access to its national telecommunications network to other telecoms operators who can then sell retail services to residential and business customers.