Research and Markets: Ireland - Country Telecoms Regulation Overview: Ireland Still Ranks below the EU27 Average Fixed Bro

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/0de627/ireland_country_t) has announced the addition of the "Ireland (Country Telecoms Regulation Overview)" report to their offering.

Compared with most European member states, mobile broadband In Ireland has experienced strong growth over the past two years. However, Ireland still ranks below the EU27 average fixed broadband penetration, with 20.2% and 22.9% respectively. Infrastructure competition in the broadband market is one way to increase the penetration rate of fixed broadband, and as such the Irish regulator ComReg, imposed a substantial price cut on monthly rental charges for shared access to LLU in 2009. The 91% reduction of wholesale tariffs will promote competition in the Irish fixed broadband market, and should ultimately lead to faster broadband speeds and lower prices for end users.

Decisions on spectrum refarming and the digital dividend are still pending, despite ComReg having conducted a lengthy and thorough consultation process. The future use of the digital dividend and liberalization of the 900MHz and 1,800MHz bands in Ireland are the current major regulatory issues at stake. ComReg is expected to make a decision on these issues as soon as possible.

In the retail market analysis of 2005, ComReg separated the retail fixed call market from the retail fixed access market, and in October 2007 it removed all remedies in the former given the level of competition. For the retail fixed access market, ComReg imposed a retail price cap remedy on Eircom. It will review this market again in the second half of 2010 to decide whether deregulation is appropriate.

Key Topics Covered:

Overview

Ovum view

Fixed market overview

National regulatory authority

Key legislation and regulation

National broadband plan

Mobile licensing

3G licenses

Retail regulation

Deregulation of retail fixed calls market

VoIP regulation

Wholesale fixed regulation

Services subject to regulation

Narrowband voice interconnection

Fixed wholesale call origination

Basis for setting charges

Procedure for setting and reviewing charges

Format of charges

Wholesale access

Wholesale line rental (WLR)

Bundling regulation

Local loop unbundling

Wholesale broadband services

Wholesale mobile regulation

Mobile operators obligations

3 Ireland

Services subject to regulation

Spectrum policy

Liberalization of GSM900 and GSM1,800 bands

Spectrum release for wireless broadband

Roadmap for upcoming spectrum release

Competition cases

Universal service

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/0de627/ireland_country_t

Source: Ovum

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Laura Wood, Senior Manager,
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KEYWORDS:   Europe  Ireland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Telecommunications  Mobile/Wireless

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