ESB sets timetable for Irish telecoms launch

NEWS Ireland's leading telco, Telecom Eireann, woke up to serious competition today as the country's Electricity Supply Board (ESB) set a timetable for its rival service. ESB, in partnership with BT, announced a $108m contract with Lucent Technologies, which will provide infrastructure for the nationwide network. Ocean, a joint ESB/BT subsidiary launched in June, will manage the network. The first phase of the ATM-based (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network is due to go live early next year. The Ocean network will eventually stretch from Belfast to Cork, including links to Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. It is timed to coincide with full deregulation, which hits the Irish telecommunications industry on 1 December. Telecom Eireann, which used to be the sole national supplier, declined to comment on the impact Ocean will have on its business. A spokeswoman stressed that countless services have registered in Ireland over the past six years - including Cable & Wireless, AT&T and Esprit. But Ocean looks set to be the first to build an entirely new network for businesses and residents.