Two New Mobile Licenses For The Isle Of Man!

[Effendi]

Two New Mobile Licenses for Isle of Man

The Communications Commission of the Isle of Man has issued two new mobile licenses. Cable & Wireless already operates a cross-Island telecoms link. Since 2002 it has provided fixed services to larger customers on the Island. It will now be able to compete in the mobile telephone market in the Isle of Man. Wire9 Telecom, through its Manx subsidiary Cloud9 Mobile Communications, will be introducing an innovative new mobile service with local Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Mobile telephones will transfer to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) when near WiFi hotspots. Wire9 is currently developing converged telecommunications and associated services in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.

Welcoming the advent of competition in the mobile telephone market in the Island, Communications Commission Chairman, Hon John Shimmin MHK, commented "These are exciting developments for the Isle of Man. Customers will now have real choice. Cable & Wireless and Wire9 will provide a challenge for the incumbent operator, Manx Telecom, in a fully competitive market."

Following telecommunications licensing by the Communications Commission, licences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts will be issued through the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which manages radio spectrum on the Island's behalf.

There has been an open invitation to new operators since Tynwald endorsed the InterConnect Communications (ICC) Report on telecommunications policy in 2002. That invitation has been reiterated each year in the Isle of Man Government Plan. Neither new operator has been given the right to erect masts or to dig up the streets without the necessary planning consents in each case. The Commission is urging all operators to share existing facilities.

The Isle of Man is situated in the sea between the UK and Ireland. It is an independent country, although defense and foreign affairs are conducted by the UK on its behalf. There is currently only one operator on the island, Manx Telecom. The Mobile World database notes that Manx Telecom ended last year with 67,000 customers - representing an 89% population penetration.

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by Effendi

The Mobile World database notes that Manx Telecom ended last year with 67,000 customers - representing an 89% population penetration.

I doesn't matter if the two new Manx operators offer international SIMs or not, but (somewhat OT) the news made me think about one important issue: the penetration index. As long as international SIMs have national codes, the penetration index for their home countries wil be "overcounted". Each 1000 SIMs is perhaps not that many for Estonia, but it really counts in case of IoM or FL .

And what is penetration index for Monaco since +377 is used (AFAIK) not in Monaco itself but in Kosovo and as Hop SIMs ...

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

made me think about one important issue: the penetration index.

Does that sound obscene to anyone else or is it just me?

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by DRNewcomb

Does that sound obscene to anyone else or is it just me?

And "89% population penetration" doesn't sound obscene???. Please suggest a substitute word for "penetration", then I'll edit my post ...

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

And "89% population penetration" doesn't sound obscene???. Please suggest a substitute word for "penetration", then I'll edit my post ...

No, it's just me. My mind is in the gutter, as usual. :blush: