Why should I have to pay for someone else's high speed broadband?

Brendan Burgess

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High-speed broadband promised for every house by 2020



The plan is expected to require the State to invest hundreds of millions of euro to connect more than 700,000 premises across the country, which are in areas that are unlikely to ever be served by commercial high-speed broadband operators.
...He also said the cost of the service to the consumer would be affordable, and in line with the prices paid by city dwellers.
...The distance that will have to be covered by the State as it rolls out the broadband is equivalent to 100,000km of road network.
Will the rural dwellers subsidise my higher city rent or mortgage?

This is the type of development which is welcomed by those benefiting from it, but those of us who will have to pay for it stay quiet.

Brendan
 
I heard someone liken high speed broadband to houses getting electricity all those years ago. In the digital age we are living in, shouldn't everyone have access to it?

The government waste millions €52m on e voting machines, €220m on the PPARS system. They are things I would get angry about, especially as there was no on held accountable for the waste. Improving the infrastructure of the country is an investment.


Steven
www.bluewaterfp.ie
 
Isn't that the case though for all infrastructure?

OK, but we don't have a motorway going to every cottage on the top of a hill.

I don't agree that it's like electricity at all. Can people not get access to the internet via other means than broadband?

Brendan
 
Of course not (that's not what motorways are for :) ), but we do have publicly-funded roads going to every cottage on top of a hill - urban and rural.


Not entirely true, as we also have privately funded roads going to some of those cottages on top of those hills.
 
Yesterday, Mr Coonan said “the protesters in Dublin act like parasites and live off country people as they have never acknowledged the role of country people”.

I think its the least we can do for our benefactors :)

Although, would it not just encourage people to live in areas where the cost of providing services such as, for example: schools, hospitals, water, sewerage, roads, etc is far more expensive per capita that in urban areas.
 
Sort of like the way rural dwellers with wells, group water schemes or septic tanks currently pay for water facilities for town and city dwellers through taxation.
 
OK, but we don't have a motorway going to every cottage on the top of a hill.

I don't agree that it's like electricity at all. Can people not get access to the internet via other means than broadband?

Brendan
The electricity analogy is a good one. You could make the same argument for electricity Brendan - sure can't all those rural dwellers not erect their own electricty generation turbines/water mills, etc.
It's all about what sort of country you want - one where everyone is pushed into urban centers or one with a rich and vibrant countryside. I'm all in favour of this initiative (and no I don't fall into the category of those who will benefit from it!).
 
I don't agree that it's like electricity at all. Can people not get access to the internet via other means than broadband?

Brendan

I live in South Dublin and up until very recently, the internet connection I got was shocking. I tried using different providers but it didn't make a difference. The best was using the mobile providers but you had limited data with them and with a family who have netflix and like to rent films online etc, that wasn't an option.

The world has gone online, so I don't see why everyone can't have fast broadband. And we're not just talking people living down a lane in a remote part of the country, you are never going to get fibre optic internet service to every household in Ireland. But there are towns and villages all over the country will really substandard internet speeds.


Although, would it not just encourage people to live in areas where the cost of providing services such as, for example: schools, hospitals, water, sewerage, roads, etc is far more expensive per capita that in urban areas.

They have to be given planning permission. ;)
 
Sort of like the way rural dwellers with wells, group water schemes or septic tanks currently pay for water facilities for town and city dwellers through taxation.

OMG, do they pay tax now! .)

The costs of providing any service should be levied appropriately. If I choose to live in a remote/rural area for cost of housing, be close to nature, then the extra cost of services should be paid by me.
This the downside vs the upside of rural living (which are many)
 
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Brendan, why should your broadband be cheaper because you have lots of neighbours? Aren't they, in effect, subsidising you?

One reason for giving us rural dwellers broadband is to keep us here, and not have us invading your cities. You don't want culchies driving up property prices in Mount Merrion.
 
....Improving the infrastructure of the country is an investment...

I agree with this principal, but I don't see why we can't expect our country cousins to help pay for it, if they are in remote locations (perhaps a once off lump sum payment towards installation costs by way of a levy ?)
 
Last week a new flyover at Newlands cross was opened. This only benefits a small portion of the drivers in the Country, hence should it have been built?

Of course it should, as by all accounts it was needed. The point being investments don't usually benefit everybody.

Is rural broadband needed. Yes I believe long term it would be a good investment. Though I must say I don't think it is the most urgent investment. Mobile broadband via Three was rolled out a few years ago to cover areas without broadband coverage. True it is unsuitable for watching Netflix etc. but it allows reasonable access to the Internet.
 
This only benefits a small portion of the drivers in the Country, hence should it have been built?

You need to include the all traffic on the M50, traffic in from Kildare, traffic from Lucan to Tallaght, Naas road into City Centre, all are impacted so definitely not "small portion of the drivers in the country"


What about doing a Google search for "Satellite Broadband Ireland"?

I count 7 suppliers with 20MB down /6MB up, including TV packages, etc. (Netflix would not be a necessity, business and education would)

If greater speeds are required then its a matter of paying for it.
 
What about doing a Google search for "Satellite Broadband Ireland"?

I count 7 suppliers with 20MB down /6MB up, including TV packages, etc. (Netflix would not be a necessity, business and education would)

If greater speeds are required then its a matter of paying for it.

This is the point I was trying to make.

I really do not want to pay more taxes so people in remote areas can watch movies and play computer games. They can access the internet without broadband.

How does it work with electricity and the phone? If I build a house miles from anywhere, will they just provide me with electricity at the same price as someone in a town or city?

I heard the Minister on the radio earlier and he refused to say how much it would cost. Some have speculated that it would cost around €500m. I really don't want to pay that.

Brendan
 
Will the rural dwellers subsidise my higher city rent or mortgage?

Brendan

Brendan,
They might argue that they have been subsidising your street lights, water and sewage treatment for the last number of decades.

Your point is up there with someone not wanting their tax to go to pay children's allowance just because they are not a parent themselves.
 
Nial Quinn can sort all those hilltop country cottages out with his Q-Sat broadband.

[broken link removed]
 
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