Digital Subscriber Line technology: This will enable firms to provide high speed Internet and multimedia services over existing telephone wires; it will allow consumers to use "always on" Internet services at speeds up to 30 times faster than existing dial-up modems.

Wireless Local Loop technology: This enables companies to beam high speed Internet services to buildings via radio waves rather than using wires. These services can be deployed quicker than traditional broadband connections which have to be installed by digging up roads and laying cable.

A Nationwide Broadband Network: Fibre optic cables will be wrapped around the ESB's electricity lines to offer very high telecoms capacity from Buncrana, Co Donegal, to Wexford. They should enable a host of telecoms operators to compete for the first time in towns and villages in the regions. This should reduce costs and increase services.