[ILUG] [OT] The IrelandOffline Blackout

[Aengus]

From: "Ronan Waide" <waider at waider.ie>

> On November 7, analog at eircom.net said:
> > representative (though if it's not a pot-hole or a medical card,
> > they're not going to do much about it).
>
> I'll reiterate a point I made to Adam Beecher in offlist mail
> earlier - despite all the trumpeting about Ireland being some sort
> of European Silicon Valley, the fact of the matter is that we're
> heavily dependant on non-technical and certainly
> non-internet-related industries. Thus when it comes to an election,
> the issues /are/ pot-holes, medical cards, compensation for foot &
> mouth, task forces to combat job losses, etc. Do you really think
> that, for example, the 100 people who lost their jobs in Waterford
> Wedgewood give a toss about what speed you can and can't connect
> to the Internet at? I suspect they'll be more worried about what
> they can and can't afford for dinner next month.

And we can be fairly certain that they won't be setting up their own home
based business using their specialised knowledge and reaching out to a
global audience, because the telecommunications costs make it far too
risky to even consider trying.

In an economic downturn, affordable comms are even more important, not
just for existing businesses feeling the pinch, but to make it easier for
new, indigenous businesses to get started. And now the system will have to
generate an extra ?70-?100 Million per annum simply to pay the interest on
Valentias loans. (Don't get me started on that one!).

Aengus