3. Broadband

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The great broadband debate continues but has changed tack. The story will continue to dominate the news agenda, despite impressive headlines achieved this year (a million plus subscribers and 54% of households with connections, by ComReg’s reckoning).

Why? Because broadband is key to Ireland’s competitiveness and the debate has shifted from one that has been primarily about availability to one about affordability and speed.

Put simply, the businesses that Ireland needs to foster are broadband intensive. And policy advisers such as Forfás, and business lobbyists such as Chambers Ireland, are championing the cause for accelerated investment in a more advanced broadband infrastructure.

Ireland’s international ranking is key and is one of the more important statistics reviewed by the type of knowledge-based businesses Ireland need to attract. Our graph, based on OECD data, shows that Ireland is in 21st spot among the 30 countries tracked, just a single point ahead of the position a year ago.

Back to contents of State of the Net issue 11