DUBLIN, May 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

- Irish Firm Imagine Bids to Radically Improve Ireland's Position in the European Broadband League

- Irish Government Hopelessly Inadequate in in Preparing Ireland for Future Technologies

Imagine Communications Group has said that Ireland will have a world-class broadband and phone network in the next 12 months as a result of a comprehensive EUR100million investment in the new 4G technology WiMax.

The Irish firm was responding to the latest OECD report on broadband which ranked Ireland at the bottom of the European league table on broadband speeds. Imagine is rolling out the first national 4G WiMax network in Europe this year, with the support of Intel and Motorola, to enable faster Internet speeds and better phone services at low prices.

Ireland's over-reliance on the outmoded and over-exploited 3G network for broadband access to date has directly led to its lowly position on the OECD broadband chart, with OECD regulators even refusing to classify 3G as broadband.

Imagine's Commercial Director Mr. Brian O'Donohoe has said the rapid deployment of the superfast 4G WiMax network will shoot Ireland up the European broadband league table.

"This week's OECD statistics show that Ireland has dropped to 29th position for broadband speeds, after being placed 26th in September 2008," Mr. O'Donohoe said. "The new 4G WiMax network is faster and more reliable than 3G, has no expensive line rental charges like DSL and is available at half the cost of older technology providers like Eircom".

"The Irish Government, Comreg and the existing market players have been hopelessly inadequate in preparing Ireland for future technologies and the damning OECD report has created a significant opportunity for 4G WiMax in Ireland," said Mr. O'Donohoe.

WiMax is backed worldwide by Intel, Motorola, Time Warner, Google and many other major multinationals. The new technology is already allowing Imagine to make high speed broadband available and affordable to businesses and consumers in counties Dublin, Wexford, Kildare, Sligo, Louth, Westmeath and Longford, with 30 new locations now being rolled out each month.

Imagine's biggest competitor in Ireland, Eircom, has the highest line rental fees in Europe and Imagine WiMax customers will automatically save up to EUR400 a year on top of benefitting from lower broadband and phone bills.

    For further information, please contact:
    Ben Kealy, Imagine Communications, +353-086-774-1999.
    James McDonald, Model Communications, +353-01-881-4038.

SOURCE Imagine

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