Green light for phones in flight

ComReg is understood to be finalising legislation permitting mobile usage in Irish airspace (above 3,000 metres), and a formal announcement of approval is expected by the end of April.

Ryanair has confirmed it will offer in-flight calls via OnAir. Calls will be charged at standard roaming rates, not the lower intra-EU price, due to the higher costs involved.

British Midland is also expected to provide the service on Irish flights, but Aer Lingus said it as yet has no plans to implement the technology.

Deadline extended

The deadline for responses to ComReg’s proposed strategy for managing the radio spectrum between 2008 and 2010 has been extended by three weeks.

The revised closing date is now May 2 and the consultation document remains available online at www.comreg.ie

The end of excellence

Vodafone has confirmed that its much hyped Centre of Excellence has been abandoned.
It was launched in February 2006 and seen as Vodafone’s positive commitment to Ireland when Micheál Martin, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, opened the centre.

It was to employ 25 staff and provided valuable R&D for the Vodafone Group, but it lasted just 18 months, having been quietly closed last summer.

The principal reason for the closure appears to be the lack of research grant funding from IDA Ireland to contribute to its running costs.

A Vodafone spokeswoman confirmed that, “as a formal business unit, the centre of excellence no longer exists within Vodafone Ireland”.

Four staff left the company as a result of the closure, with the remainder being transferred to other areas within the company.

26GHz spectrum up for grabs

Irish Telecoms regulator ComReg has formally opened the national licence competition of 26GHz spectrum for point-to-point (P2P) or point-to-multipoint (PMP) wireless data links.

Meteor is the only Irish mobile network not to have applied for a licence, while fixed carriers BT Ireland, Digiweb and Irish Broadband have also applied. Two 504 MHz ranges are being made available in the range 24.773-25.277 GHz and 25.781-26.285 GHz.

The resource has been split into 18 blocks of 2x28 MHz bandwidth, and the successful applicant is free to chose whether to operate P2P or PMP applications on the spectrum won.

Meteor-3G Mobile deal

Meteor and retail chain 3G Mobile have announced a two-year strategic partnership, with Meteor becoming the preferred mobile partner with enhanced retail presence across 3G Mobile’s estate, currently expanding to 30 stores.

Meteor marketing director Conor Carmody said: “As Meteor continues to grow, so does demand for our better value offerings. This alliance, in addition to our 39 stores, our online store, and indirect channel partners, means it’s now even easier for customers to get on to Meteor.”

3G Mobile managing director Tony Boyle added: “The completion of this long term strategic relationship with Meteor enables our commitment to deliver to customers a great selection of market leading and value brands. At 3G Mobile we take the confusion out of choosing the right product to enable the digital lifestyle.”

Survey shows mobile internet gaining strength

A survey of more than 550 large corporate and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), undertaken on behalf of ComReg, has revealed adoption and interest in mobile broadband remains strong.

Conducted in February 2008, the survey analysed the usage and attitudes of Irish firms towards information and communications technology in the workplace.

Key findings showed adoption of mobile broadband, using data cards or USB modems, was at 55 per cent for large corporates and 16 per cent for SMEs.

Most telling, however, was that the Millward-Brown IMS survey for ComReg found respondents welcomed the ease in which mobile broadband could be deployed.

Also, they were happy with the choice, with options available from Vodafone, O2 and 3 Ireland.