INTERNET
Broadband for schools begins
28-06-2004
by Craig Liddell
Ireland's broadband for schools initiative has finally launched just as the government prepares to name the firm to manage the State's new broadband networks.
Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, and the Minister for Education and Science Noel Dempsey TD, on Monday issued an invitation to service providers to participate in an advance deployment of broadband services in up to 100 first and second level schools.
"Bringing broadband to every school in the country will ultimately prove one of the most significant educational developments of our time," Minister Ahern said. "By using it in the school youngsters will be familiar with the technology and bring it into their everyday life and their workplace when they graduate."
Under the call, providers are invited to submit a proposal to "showcase" their broadband technologies in 10 schools of their choice. It is intended to allow for early identification of practical issues arising from the deployment of broadband services to schools and the development of a centrally managed schools network.
The call for proposals follows the government's decision to provide broadband connectivity to all of the 4,100 primary and secondary schools in Ireland by 2005. The telecommunications industry has committed EUR15 million to the School Broadband Access Programme and the government has committed EUR3 million.
In June 2003, the Minister for Communications proposed a levy on telecommunications companies to fund the broadband roll out. But that idea was ditched after discussions with the industry.
The proposed broadband network is to link schools to a central area that will provide content filtering, virus scanning, firewall and intrusion detection services for the schools. It is hoped that the network will ultimately act as a platform for the hosting and delivery of curriculum-related digital content and applications.
Meanwhile, the government will announce on Tuesday the successful bidder of a project to manage new broadband rings around 19 various towns and cities outside of Dublin. Budgeted at around EUR63 million, the government hopes the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) scheme will alleviate the broadband dearth most towns currently face. Broadband access can be leased by telecoms providers and then sold on to businesses and residents at competitive prices.
Earlier this year, it was reported that a consortium called eNET led by a Limerick property developer Tiernan Properties was be the preferred bidder to manage the new government owned broadband network.
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