Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Feb 1994

Vol. 439 No. 2

Written Answers. - MMDS Service.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

133 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if his attention has been drawn to complaints in west County Waterford that television reception has disimproved since subscribers have been placed onto an MMDS service after having previously received a TV rebeaming service; and if this is an indication that MMDS is not a technically suitable system.

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Cowen)

The quality of RTE television reception is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.

Regarding MMDS, I should say that I am not aware of any current difficulties caused by the system giving rise to reception problems in West Waterford. I understand, however, that some two months ago the Multi-Channel TV franchisee for West Waterford made some changes to the cable systems in the towns of Lismore and Tallow in order to increase the number of available TV channels. Difficulties with the frequency settings for the new channels resulted in interference to the reception of RTE 1 and Network 2. I am informed that these difficulties were overcome and I am not aware of any problems with TV reception now in the area.

These difficulties arose out of the operation of the cable systems in the areas concerned and accordingly have no bearing on the MMDS system. I am satisfied that MMDS is eminently suitable for the purpose of which it was intended — to provide high quality multi-channel viewing choice to the non-cabled areas.