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THE GOVERNMENT’S DEAL with broadband providers to help students study and work from home does not cover Zoom or Microsoft websites.
A number of third-level institutions and schools have highlighted the issue to politicians stating that none of the sites that students are actually using for their online studies, such as Zoom and Microsoft, are covered under the plan announced by Communications Minister Richard Bruton last month.
Replying to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane, the minister said in relation to the zero-rating of various resource platforms, telecommunications operators are currently finalising their work in zero-rating of educational resource platforms.
Zero-rating is the practice of providing Internet access without financial cost under certain conditions.
Bruton added that YouTube, Microsoft or Zoom are not included:
“I understand that industry does not propose zero rating specific platforms such as YouTube, Microsoft or Zoom as it is not technically possible to establish when they are being used specifically for educational purposes.”
He said work is underway with the Department of Health to achieve zero-rating of relevant health platforms and it is expected that this exercise will also be finalised shortly.
The minister added that due to the surge in data and voice traffic, regulations were signed to provide mobile network operators flexibility to create extra capacity for mobile phone and broadband services.
Cullinane said despite promises that platforms commonly used for home-schooling would not eat into peoples’ data plans, they are not included in the zero-rating plan, adding that companies are refusing to zero rate anything of real benefit to students.
“I have been contacted by staff in a number of third-level institutions who have told me that the providers will not zero rate any commercial websites including Microsoft, YouTube or Zoom, but these are sites that thousands of university students are using for their online studies.
“This means that students have to pay for online classes done via Zoom, for example.
“I understand that HEAnet offered to help broadband providers identify individual students on their networks so that they could zero rate users rather than websites but this offer was rejected
“At this stage, by the time there is any agreement on this exams will be over and the only person to benefit will be Richard Bruton.”
The issue of digital disparity was raised during Leaders’ Questions today, when Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said:
“There is no way of addressing the concerns and preferences of every student but there are basic principles of equity which must be addressed. In recent days, I have heard from teachers and principals in many parts of the country about how certain students simply are not able to match others in terms of home-based learning.”
If this crisis didn’t send a very direct message to the government about how necessary strong and stable internet is throughout this country especially in the count try wide, then nothing will.
If only Eir would drop kn as their works contractor, then maybe I could get a phone line delivered to my home which is 5 meters from existing network , then myself and the three children in the house could worry about these issues
What an absolute lame duck of a Government. Between that and the bags they’re making of the childcare provision for health staff, the sooner a real change of Government happens, the better.
On the Leaving Cert., the Government need to realise that second-level education can’t be looked at in isolation. Playschool, Primary, Second-level and Third-Level have to be viewed together for what they are – constituent parts of a SYSTEM. We will not be able to have social distancing in place in Third-Level, come September. The only sensible solution is for ALL students at all levels to repeat the year with at most 1/3 of students in each day. This will also allow those students who have fallen behind on account of the “digital divide”, childcare duties, lack of study space, etc., to catch up.
@Kevin Farrell:
All Students should repeat the year? I’m a college student in 3rd year and there is no way will I be repeating the year after passing most of the exams I had at Christmas time.
What a ridiculous comment
What a rid
@Kevin Farrell: I haven’t heard “making a bags of it” for a long time. I’m sure some of our younger people and new arrivals might be a bit puzzled thinking it has something to do with making masks or PPE. This might help:
https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/irish-slang-top-80-most-used-expressions/
@Just Some Guy: It’s only a ridiculous comment to you because you’re looking at it from a purely selfish perspective. There are bigger issues like (a) the absence of excess capacity in Third-Level to engage in safe social-distancing. I’m aware of one institution that is planning “maximum occupancy of 30% capacity for lecture theatres, laboratory and other learning/social spaces”, and (b) the pressure that Leaving Cert students are enduring at the moment.
Also, most Third Years would have only done 50% of their exams by the Christmas/New Year exams. The remaining 50% are being done via alternative assessment arrangements, which might raise questions in the minds of employers…
I am not sure I understand this ask. Connectivity cost is a flat rate with your broadband provider. Attending a meeting on Zoom, Teams, Skype, Slack or Google doesn’t actually cost you anything additionally. You click on a link and connect, there is no charge at the gate from these providers? What is this article about?
@Patrick Cusack: If you have a plan where data is limited then it’s a serious issue as video conferencing will use up quite a lot of your allowance. Operators have the ability to allow access to certain sites without that access coming out of your allowance.
While most major organisations, governments and businesses are dumping Zoom, people are seriously complaining they have to find an alternative?
And just in case:
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+are+the+issues+with+zoom
Google Meet is an option for those who don’t like Zoom.
I don’t understand, how can people repeat the year when there are new students starting the year at the same time? do we suddenly have more classrooms, teachers and spaces?
It’s 2020 who has a data limit? No one, this is useless. Even mobile is unlimited on any good plans
@Vin: no it’s not. Vodafone is only good mobile broadband provider in my area. 300gb limit
ireland = what is internet?
they can use slack’s education plan.
have your say