Service providers are deemed as "customers" of the MANs. In other words, a service provider, as a customer of a MAN, uses the MAN to offer services on to the service provider's own customers. 35 service providers are currently offering services on the Phase I MANs and 6 service providers are currently offering services on the Phase II MANs. Service providers use the MANs to provide voice and data services to their own customers over a range of platforms including:
Unbundled local loop;
Mobile wireless;
Fixed wireless;
Cable;
Partial private circuits; and
Directly connected fibre.
Information relating to the use of the MANs by service providers, including the numbers of customers served by each service provider, is commercially sensitive and a matter for e|net, the Management Services Entity and for each service provider.
Customer connection costs depend on a number of factors including the distance a customer is from the existing MAN infrastructure, the presence of existing ducting and the surface type that has to be constructed. Currently the average cost of each connection is between €8,000 and €9,000 which reflects the high cost of any civil construction work carried out in an urban area. Levels of usage on the MANs vary between towns. Whilst take-up by service providers of the Phase I MANs was slow in the initial stages there has been significant improvement in this regard over the past five years. An analysis carried out by e|net recently showed an estimated 570,000 people relied on the MANs' services for some form of communications services.
The IDA believe that the MANs have provided inward investors with much greater choice, service and pricing when it comes to broadband connectivity. The MANs have also contributed significantly to the competitiveness of regional centres in Ireland and their attractiveness to foreign direct investment. While recognising that difficulties remain on backhaul and last mile connections, I believe that the MANs will provide real long term benefits for our national broadband infrastructure and that use of the MANs will continue to evolve in a manner which is of increasing benefit to service providers and end users.