Telecom Éireann
Encyclopedia
Telecom Éireann, or formally Bord Telecom Éireann - The Irish Telecommunications Board, was created by the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Ireland
, under the leadership of the Minister for Posts & Telegraphs
. Prior to this time the Department of Posts and Telegraphs provided a postal and telephones system as part of the civil service
and was known as the "P and T".
's E10 and Ericsson
's AXE telephone exchange
.
Digital technology quickly replaced analogue systems at national and major regional switching centres and new international gateway switches were installed. The oldest electromechanical step-by-step exchanges and manual operator-manned local exchanges were the first to be converted to digital technology. More modern electromechanical crossbar exchanges, using Ericsson ARF technology dating from the 1960s and 1970s were converted to digital bit by bit through the late 1980s and early 1990s. These crossbar switch
es were capable of providing voice service that was comparable to digital switching technology.
By the early 1990s, the Irish network was amongst the most modern and most digitalised in the world and by the mid 1990s had become 100% digitally switched.
The company also did a major upgrade to the payphone network in the late 1980s, which saw the rollout of smart card
based payphones across Ireland. The Telecom Éireann CallCard was one of the earliest implementations chip-based cards in the world.
Telecom Éireann launched Eircell (now Vodafone Ireland) in 1984, with operations commencing in 1986. The company deployed a national mobile telephone network based on a first generation mobile technology known as the Total Access Communication System
, or TACS for short. This technology, similar to AMPS
, was also used in the UK by Vodafone and Cellnet.
Eircell launched their digital network based on GSM technology from Ericsson
in 1993.
GSM service rapidly replaced the TACS network as customers migrated over to new digital technology. Within a few years, the TACS network was obsolete and taken off air.
The company introduced a Minitel
videotext system into Ireland in 1992 but due to poor uptake and lack of interesting services, it faded from public attention quickly. A number of other companies came together in 1988 with a plan to use the system for shopping and information. Minitel services were ultimately withdrawn completely due to lack of interest.
In 1997 Telecom Éireann established Telecom Internet, the Internet service provider
the company rapidly became one of the partners in the Internet Neutral Exchange
and is today known as eircom net.
Telecom Éireann established Eirpage, a national paging system in Ireland.
This system is now controlled and operated by Voxpro Communications, formerly Pageboy (www.voxpro.ie)
Launched in 1984 to replace Euronet, Eirpac is the Irish public switched data network supporting X.25 and X.28
This unit sold business systems and office telephone systems to business customers.
plc. in 1999 after being privatised, and was later split into Eircell 2000 Plc. (Eircell), the mobile networks business, and eircom
, the fixed-line business which also inherited other minor divisions, such as the Eirpage pager system and the Telecom retail arm. Eircell was sold to Vodafone
in May 2001, and later changed its name to the dual-brand Eircell Vodafone before becoming Vodafone Ireland
.
TV series Coupling
, a phone with a Telecom Éireann logo appears in the episode "Gotcha".
In the Channel 4
Series Father Ted
(Speed 3) a Telecom Éireann kiosk is seen near the end.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, under the leadership of the Minister for Posts & Telegraphs
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Ireland)
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was a senior post in the government of the Irish Free State and the Republic of Ireland from 1924 to 1984, when the post and the department was abolished....
. Prior to this time the Department of Posts and Telegraphs provided a postal and telephones system as part of the civil service
Civil service of the Republic of Ireland
The Civil Service of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the Departments of State and certain State Agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State...
and was known as the "P and T".
Upgrading the Network
Telecom Éireann immediately embarked upon a major upgrade of the Irish telecommunications infrastructure, which had been quite underdeveloped. The company rolled out digital telephone switching technology, across the country along with an extensive fibre optic and digital microwave backbone. Two digital switching systems were selected; CIT-AlcatelAlcatel
Alcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
's E10 and Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
's AXE telephone exchange
AXE telephone exchange
The AXE telephone exchange is a product line of circuit switched digital telephone exchanges manufactured by Ericsson, a Swedish telecom company. It was developed in 1974 by Ellemtel, a research and development subsidiary of Ericsson and Televerket.. The first system was deployed in 1976...
.
Digital technology quickly replaced analogue systems at national and major regional switching centres and new international gateway switches were installed. The oldest electromechanical step-by-step exchanges and manual operator-manned local exchanges were the first to be converted to digital technology. More modern electromechanical crossbar exchanges, using Ericsson ARF technology dating from the 1960s and 1970s were converted to digital bit by bit through the late 1980s and early 1990s. These crossbar switch
Crossbar switch
In electronics, a crossbar switch is a switch connecting multiple inputs to multiple outputs in a matrix manner....
es were capable of providing voice service that was comparable to digital switching technology.
By the early 1990s, the Irish network was amongst the most modern and most digitalised in the world and by the mid 1990s had become 100% digitally switched.
The company also did a major upgrade to the payphone network in the late 1980s, which saw the rollout of smart card
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
based payphones across Ireland. The Telecom Éireann CallCard was one of the earliest implementations chip-based cards in the world.
Mobile Telecommunications: Eircell
Total Access Communication System
Total Access Communication System and ETACS are mostly-obsolete variants of AMPS which were used in some European countries . TACS was also used in Japan under the name Japanese Total Access Communication . It was also used in Hong Kong...
, or TACS for short. This technology, similar to AMPS
Advanced Mobile Phone System
Advanced Mobile Phone System was an analog mobile phone system standard developed by Bell Labs, and officially introduced in the Americas in 1983, Israel in 1986, and Australia in 1987. It was the primary analog mobile phone system in North America through the 1980s and into the 2000s...
, was also used in the UK by Vodafone and Cellnet.
Eircell launched their digital network based on GSM technology from Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
in 1993.
GSM service rapidly replaced the TACS network as customers migrated over to new digital technology. Within a few years, the TACS network was obsolete and taken off air.
Other divisions
- Minitel Ireland
The company introduced a Minitel
Minitel
The Minitel is a Videotex online service accessible through the telephone lines, and is considered one of the world's most successful pre-World Wide Web online services. It was launched in France in 1982 by the PTT...
videotext system into Ireland in 1992 but due to poor uptake and lack of interesting services, it faded from public attention quickly. A number of other companies came together in 1988 with a plan to use the system for shopping and information. Minitel services were ultimately withdrawn completely due to lack of interest.
- Telecom Internet
In 1997 Telecom Éireann established Telecom Internet, the Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
the company rapidly became one of the partners in the Internet Neutral Exchange
Internet Neutral Exchange
Internet Neutral Exchange is an Internet exchange located in the Ireland, with points of presence in Dublin at TeleCity - Citywest, Data Electronics - Kilcarbery Park and Interxion - Park West....
and is today known as eircom net.
- Eirpage
Telecom Éireann established Eirpage, a national paging system in Ireland.
This system is now controlled and operated by Voxpro Communications, formerly Pageboy (www.voxpro.ie)
- Eirpac
Launched in 1984 to replace Euronet, Eirpac is the Irish public switched data network supporting X.25 and X.28
- TEIS (Telecom Éireann Information Systems)
This unit sold business systems and office telephone systems to business customers.
- TeleCentre - this was Telecom Éireann's retail arm, which was later renamed eircom Store and then shut down as eircom moved away from physical customer contact centres. Since the closure of the stores, customers can only contact eircom online or by telephone.
- Phonewatch - Provides monitored alarm services to both residential and business customers. The company remains part of eircom and was rebranded as eircom PhoneWatch. It is one of the largest players in the Irish home security market.
Privatisation: eircom plc.
Telecom Éireann became eircomEircom
Eircom Group LTD is a telecommunications company in the Republic of Ireland, and a former state-owned incumbent. It is currently the largest telecommunications operator in the Republic of Ireland and operates primarily on the island of Ireland, with a point of presence in Great Britain.As Bord...
plc. in 1999 after being privatised, and was later split into Eircell 2000 Plc. (Eircell), the mobile networks business, and eircom
Eircom
Eircom Group LTD is a telecommunications company in the Republic of Ireland, and a former state-owned incumbent. It is currently the largest telecommunications operator in the Republic of Ireland and operates primarily on the island of Ireland, with a point of presence in Great Britain.As Bord...
, the fixed-line business which also inherited other minor divisions, such as the Eirpage pager system and the Telecom retail arm. Eircell was sold to Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
in May 2001, and later changed its name to the dual-brand Eircell Vodafone before becoming Vodafone Ireland
Vodafone Ireland
Vodafone Ireland Limited, part of the Vodafone Group, is the largest mobile phone company in Ireland in terms of active subscribers, and was previously called Eircell. The mobile phone system in use is a digital GSM 900 system, and also a third-generation UMTS system...
.
Popular culture
In the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV series Coupling
Coupling (UK TV series)
Coupling is a British television sitcom written by Steven Moffat that aired on BBC2 from May 2000 to June 2004. Produced by Hartswood Films for the BBC, the show centres on the dating and sexual adventures and mishaps of six friends in their thirties, often depicting the three women and the three...
, a phone with a Telecom Éireann logo appears in the episode "Gotcha".
In the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
Series Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
(Speed 3) a Telecom Éireann kiosk is seen near the end.