In October 2019, The Advertising Authority Standard for Ireland (ASAI) published guidelines regulating the use of the term ‘fibre’ in broadband advertising - broadband providers are required to specify whether their product is 100% Fibre, Part Fibre or All Copper. The ruling took effect from 1 December 2019. SIRO fully supports these guidelines and we encourage all consumers to actively seek information on the broadband service you’re buying. Stephen O'Connor, SIRO Director of Corporate Affairs, discusses how the new guidelines will enable greater transparency for the end consumers and benefit the development of FTTH in Ireland.
Broadband as we know it is changing. As we consume more and more data, copper based broadband is increasingly unfit for purpose and is a fading technology which is being “switched off” in many countries. Full fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband is now considered globally as the gold standard of connectivity.
Consumers look to ‘fibre’ for speed and reliability, yet many in Ireland are still unclear about what they are getting when they order a ‘fibre’ broadband service. In 2018, SIRO commissioned Kantar Millward Brown (KMB) to conduct market research investigating, amongst other things, consumer perception and understanding of the term ‘fibre’ in broadband marketing. This research found that over half of respondents were confused by the different uses of the term ‘fibre’ (e.g. ‘fibre-powered’, ‘fibre broadband’, ‘100% fibre’ etc.) in marketing campaigns (KMB, on behalf of SIRO). One respondent even believed that 100% fibre technology was only available “
in the likes of Singapore and Hong Kong”.
Telecom Regulator, ComReg, publishes a report each quarter on Irish household broadband subscriptions. There were 1.4m fixed subscriptions at the end of March and just over 900,000 of these are described as “DSL/VDSL (Digital Subscriber Line)” which sounds like advanced technology but are delivered in part over old copper lines. The thing is that many of these customers have purchased a broadband product with ‘fibre’ in its name unaware of the true nature of their connection. This lack of transparency is the issue that the Advertising Standard Authority for Ireland (ASAI)’s guidance note seeks to address.
There is undoubtedly a demand for the “real" 100% fibre broadband in Ireland. Since SIRO launched, Irish FTTH subscriptions have grown from 8,000 in January 2017 to 108,000 subscriptions in March 2019, making it by far the fastest growing market segment.
The Importance of Transparency in Advertising
Currently there is little differentiation between part-fibre and full fibre networks in marketing and this has clouded the perception of 100% fibre among consumers. With a fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connection, the presence of copper even in the last few metres between the street cabinet and the home significantly reduces internet speed. For example, the highest consistent speed with FTTC is less than 100 mbps (megabits per second), whereas
a fibre to the home (FTTH) from SIRO delivers a reliable, consistent 1,000 mbps (or 1 Gigabit per second). According to the KMB research, speed remains the determining factor in consumer choice of broadband service but accurate speed information isn’t readily available, instead substituted by phrases like “lightning fast” or “superfast”.
Consumers deserve transparency when purchasing any product and broadband advertising is no different. According to our research, 73% of consumers would like a “quality broadband mark” that guarantees the types of service they would receive. The new guidelines published yesterday stipulate that suppliers have to describe the network that the service is delivered across - 100% Fibre, Part Fibre or all Copper. This important change will help to provide clarity to consumers.
Developments in Europe
France was the pioneer in regulating broadband marketing. Since 2016 operators in France are under legal obligation to disclose how much of their network is Fibre if that term is used. For example: “
The connection of the home is not all optical fibre but a mixture of Copper & Fibre…” In 2018, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCOM) found that retailers were misusing the term “fibra” (fibre) in their advertisements, and fined the offenders more than €13m. AGCOM ruled that from January 2019 retailers could not advertise “fibra” unless the full line was fibre and must say “Fibre on a copper mixed network” if its only part-fibre.
A key policy objective of the European Commission is the establishment of the Digital Single Market (DSM) where EU citizens and businesses could avail of all the economic and societal benefits of the Gigabit society. These benefits can only be realised if there is widespread roll out and adoption of high speed broadband across the EU28. In September 2016,
EU connectivity targets were set as follows:
All schools, public services and enterprises would have access to 1 GB (1,000 MB) connectivity by 2025 and that all households would have access to a minimum of 100Mbps, upgradable to 1 GB. These targets and the realisation of an inclusive Gigabit society requires adequate and future-proofed infrastructure in place in all member states (
European Commission). To this end, the new European Electronic Communications Code (EECC which will be transposed into Irish Law by December 2020) promotes and prioritises both the rollout and take-up of Very High Capacity Broadband networks (VHCN).
Adoption of Very High Capacity networks like FTTH is jeopardised when consumers are confused by misuse of the word “fibre” in marketing. This in turn undermines the investment case for alterative operators considering building new high capacity networks – why invest millions of euro in capital in a superior network if all operators are allowed market themselves as “Fibre”?
The FTTH Council Europe are Calling for Change
This is an opinion which is shared by the
FTTH Council Europe, which wrote an open
letter to European Council ministers on the importance of transparency in broadband advertising. The Council argued that if a consumer believes they have a fibre connection, they are unlikely to change it, however, when consumers “
are aware of the differences between 100% fibre and copper connections, they ultimately choose fibre”. This risks undermining both the aims of the new Code (
access to and take up of Very High Capacity Networks) and the Digital Single Market.
SIRO supports the ASAI’s new guidelines. The data usage needs of consumers are changing and they need transparent, reliable information to choose the network that suits those needs. Additionally, investors need assurance that if they finance and build the new high quality networks that Europe needs then they can differentiate that service when it goes to market. While it has been argued that using the terms “part” and “full” fibre may confuse consumers, the introduction of more accurate advertisements allows consumers to make a fully informed decision when choosing their connection.
The SIRO-Powered Brand Mark
Having access to reliable, high-speed broadband is vital as we continue to work, study, and socialise from home using a multitude of devices. The SIRO 100% fibre network guarantees excellent speeds and a connection that you can rely on when you need it most.
We have partnered with the three most popular price comparison sites in Ireland - Bonkers, Choosey and Switcher – to show the
SIRO-Powered Badge when our network is available in your home. When you see the SIRO badge, you can be confident that our
internationally recognised gold-standard broadband technology comes all the way into your home. We want you to know that you are getting SIRO 100% fibre broadband installed in your home on business.
Over 355,000 homes and businesses across regional Ireland now have access to SIRO broadband. So the next time you're looking for the best broadband deal online, make sure to look out for the SIRO-Powered badge to ensure you're getting the best broadband technology available in Ireland.
For more information on FTTC vs FTTH, read our
‘Top 5 Fibre Myths Busted’ article. To check if you can avail of SIRO, visit
siro.ie/search-your-address 
Last week it was officially announced that I had been re-appointed as Chairperson of Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII), the Ibec representative body for the electronic communications industry. I am excited to hold this role for a further year and equally recognise the trust placed in me by my industry peers when nominating me to serve two consecutive terms in this role. TII is a broad church with a diverse membership. From broadband companies, like SIRO, to broadcasting, cable, data centres, fixed, mobile, satellite and wireless internet as well as equipment manufacturers and network providers; our members span the full spectrum of the industry.
Reflecting on 2020, it is clear the telecommunications industry was tested like never before. The reason, one we are all too familiar with by now – Covid-19. Yet, it fills me with pride to say, our industry not only stood up to the challenge, but exceeded our own expectations. During the worst days of 2020 and now into 2021, our industry has kept the nation connected. Across the country people have worked from spare bedrooms to kitchen counters, shopped, zoomed, streamed or schooled. Indeed, such was demand that our telecommunications networks experienced an average [35%] increase in peak traffic during 2020. Despite these pressures our telecommunications industry has remained resilient, robust and continues to deliver to our over two million active subscribers across Ireland. Effectively, telecoms connectivity has been and is the nervous system for the country. It is the enabler for our communities to live, work and play.
This did not happen by accident.
It is a testament to our industry and to our people, all 25,000 of them, who drive it forward each day and never more so than during the pandemic. Equally, with more than €3.25 billion invested by the sector in infrastructure networks since 2015, our industry was ready to flex up when the pandemic struck. And yet, I also know that while our industry certainly played a huge role in keeping our country connected, there remains some parts of the country and groups within our society who have not shared as fulsomely in the benefits which telecommunications can deliver. For example, in my own sector of the industry, I am acutely aware that notwithstanding the work of companies such as SIRO and eir are doing in rolling out FTTH broadband, 50% of our country still does not have access to high quality broadband. Equally a recent survey by Vodafone found only 19% of our SMEs are highly digitised.
So, as I look to the rest of 2021 and my role as Chairperson of TII, there are several priorities that I wish to both fulfil and advance during my term. Key amongst them will be the role that the telecommunications industry can play in supporting in Ireland’s post Covid-19 economic recovery (including working with the industry to achieve access to high quality broadband for all), promoting sustainability economically and socially, to assisting members with the implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code and combating digital piracy. In addition, I am also focused on working to communicate the industry’s position on key issues such as cybersecurity and the Digital Single Market in conjunction with the Ibec Digital Economy Policy Group.
Over the last 12 months so much has changed in our lives in ways we could never have predicted. Yet, we have also adjusted, relatively, well to “the new normal”. With International Women’s Day upon us, where one of its’ missions this year is to “forge inclusive work cultures where women’s careers thrive”, it is timely to consider one of the biggest changes over the past year – working from home (WFH) – and its impact on women in the workforce. It is important to note, that while International Women’s Day highlights the significance of achieving gender equality in the workplace, it is a core goal that SIRO is committed to achieving all year long. As part of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 5 focuses on achieving gender equality and empower all women and girls, a goal which SIRO believes has become more relevant throughout the pandemic.
During Level 5 lockdowns, over 40% of the Irish workforce worked from home. WFH quickly shifted from something done by a small segment of the population to a mainstream activity overnight. But for working women, the jury is still out on their recent experiences of WFH. For working mothers, anecdotal evidence paints a picture of exhausted mothers, at home and double jobbing between the paying office job and childminding and home schooling. Much of this narrative may be true but does it tell the full story of WFH for women?
Not all women WFH are mothers or if they are, not all have childminding and home-schooling responsibilities. Equally, does it adequately take account of fathers and the roles they have also played in parenting during lockdown? Yet, according to OECD statistics, women in Ireland average almost 5 hours of unpaid work per day. While men in Ireland average just over 2 hours of unpaid work per day. The gap remains too wide. For true equality, we need a fairer sharing of responsibilities in the home. While the division of labour along traditional lines remains a factor, there are many reasons for this imbalance including more women opting to work as a full-time homemaker or women choosing to work part-time in a professional/paid role.
The success or failure of the recent mass exodus toward WFH cannot be fully judged against a backdrop of extraordinary circumstances – schools and childcare facilities closed, shops, restaurants and other entertainment and leisure facilities shut, restricted travel, social distancing and no meeting with family, friends, and colleagues. Yet, for many the experience of WFH has been positive. Several employee surveys have shown a majority of employees either wish to remain working from home in a full or part time capacity, post-pandemic.
As Chief Financial Officer at SIRO, a company rolling out high speed broadband across Ireland, I have more than a little vested interest in ensuring that WFH can work successfully, including for our employees. At SIRO we have long championed and promoted WFH amongst our non-field-based employees. This has allowed us to adapt more easily than others. We appreciate the huge benefits which can be derived from WFH and how life changing it can be. But as a woman too in this role, International Women’s Day, creates another moment to reflect on how we can continue to improve the lives of working women. With WFH, I see an opportunity for working women.
Before the pandemic, only 14% of people worked from home either sometimes or usually, according to a study by the Economic & Social Research Institute. Over the course of the last 11 months, this number has jumped to 47% - an EU survey found that Ireland has one of the highest rates of remote working in Europe. The Government has announced new legislation to give employees the right to request remote working even beyond the pandemic, which proves the shift to remote working is here and here to stay.
The availability of good, reliable broadband is the biggest enabler in this seismic shift. The good news is the evolution of broadband infrastructure and connectivity in Ireland has accelerated massively over the past 5 years and will continue to do so in the coming years, transforming the country both socially & economically.
