Eircom is believed ready to publish prices for its digital subscriber line (DSL) broadband internet offering as early as next week. The technology allows huge amounts of data to be transferred down telephone lines at high speeds, enabling access to a range of multimedia services.
The company is not required to publish prices until 28 days before it makes a product available, giving it until September 1st to release its wholesale pricing - as its wholesale product will be available on September 28th.
Eircom is understood to be looking for an amount in the region of €150 (£118) per DSL for its wholesale DSL product. This will be marketed to other carriers. Only Esat/BT is understood to be interested in offering DSL commercially.
Eircom is also expected to offer DSL through its internet service provider companies. DSL enables high-speed, always-on internet access.
The cost of a commercial DSL subscription could be as high as £175 (€222) monthly, said sources, unless Eircom and Esat/BT decide to subsidise subscribers. The cost to Eircom of providing a DSL connection is £2,500 annually, according to industry sources.
A DSL subscription in Britain with BT currently costs consumers about £40 sterling (€63) monthly.
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