ERIC SCHMIDT, CEO OF GOOGLE, visited Killarney last week, and suggested Ireland invest more in communications infrastructure. Schmidt believes broadband capability is a precondition for economic growth in the next 10 years. But not the kind of over-the-air sprinkling that the Irish government currently endorses. Google cannot deliver real-time full-screen rock concerts like U2 in the Rose Bowl if viewers have measly wireless connections like the one shown at left. "The right thing to do is to light up Ireland with fibre, and to do that systematically over a 10-year period." He points to "Singapore, Tokyo and Korea--in Korea's case they have 160 Mbps default penetration. At those speeds, the distinctions between movies, DVDs and the internet go away and are just replaced by a fibre cable and that's the future."
John Kennedy -- "Broadband leadership will be a precondition for economic growth" in eThursday, the Irish Independent, 29 Oct 09.
Previously -- "Irish Rural Broadband Hoax" on Inside View, 23 Jan 09.
Direct link to RTE Drivetime segment: http://www.insideview.ie/files/broadband_ondrivetime_14oct.mp3
Sample of my home broadband speed tests.
