A cross-Border telecommunications guide was launched yesterday by Mrs O'Rourke, Minister for Public Enterprise, and Sir Reg Empey, Assembly Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

"Telecommunications for e-Business - a Users' Guide" was prepared by IBEC and Forfas, in conjunction with the Industrial Research and Technology Unit in Northern Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Department of Public Enterprise.

It covers the telecommunications services available throughout Ireland. In particular, it provides users with a clear indication of the new broadband services available from the numerous operators now in the market.

The directory has service descriptions from the main operators and a full directory of companies involved in the industry. It also has sections on e-business, e-commerce and e-government.

At the launch of the guide, Forfas also called for the introduction of a common set of local authority and planning guidelines for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure to provide consistency, transparency and certainty.