Sir, - Is it not rather odd that a semi-State company like the ESB would invite British Telecom, a large British company with a multi-million-pound turnover and consequent economies of scale, to join it in a joint venture to compete for the Irish telecommunications market? This is in direct competition with Telecom Eireann, an existing semi-State company.It would seem a lot more appropriate if the ESB were to form a joint venture with another electricity supplier with a view to giving a better service to its own customers and improving its own network. It is now evident from the recent storms that the ESB should be putting in place a programme to replace every pole in the country. Otherwise it is only a matter of time until lives are lost due to broken poles and falling wires.It is a disgraceful situation that despite telling us all its resources were deployed over the Christmas period, customers were still without this basic service for the best part of a week. - Yours, etc.,P McCarthy,Murrough Drive,Galway.