AND FINALLY... FLAT RATE...! Available from Friday in Ireland, and on ly a few years after everywhere else on the planet, we get a flat rate internet access offering (which needed Ministerial intervention to happen at all. Sheesh). UTV -- which has emerged as a rather feisty player in the access market -- has announced a very cheap euro9.99 package for low-end users, and euro 24.99 (if I recall correctly!) for unlimited access over 180 hrs per month.

Along with some new DSL offerings, the market is finally loosening up (ain't it a wonder what competition can do...). But DSL definitely remains too high-cost for most consumers.

I saw a slide today at a presentation in London that placed Ireland about 4th or 5th in Europe -- right up there with Finland -- for internet penetration. I completely mistrust those figures. What do you think?
3:44:20 PM  #   your two cents []

I see from the new PriceWaterhouse report on the European venture capital market that 85% of VC investment in Ireland still goes into technology companies -- a total of euro89 million. Over 150 companies got VC funding last year. Irish VC funds raised euro201 million.
3:34:00 PM  #   your two cents []