Vol. 466 No. 1
26 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications whether an instruction was sent to ESAT Telephone banning the use of routers; if so, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8503/96]
I take it that the Deputy is referring to ESAT Telecommunications Limited which is licenced under the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983, to provide certain liberalised telecommunications services.
I have issued no instruction to this company in the terms referred to by the Deputy. The use of routers for the transmission of fax and data communications is within the terms of their licence. However, all service providers, including ESAT Telecommunications Limited, were advised recently that because the use of router or similar technology for transmission of voice services relies on the simultaneous use of two switched network termination points, then in circumstances where all the other essential elements of the definition of voice telephony as set out in Irish and EU law are present, it constitutes voice telephony as defined and would not be within the terms of their licence.
