Cecilia Keaveney
Question:215 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28081/03]
Written Answers. - Telecommunications Services.
The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the private companies operating in a fully liberalised sector. There are, however, many areas of the country where demographics and location make it difficult to establish a business case for private sector investment in infrastructure, and my Department is addressing this problem in our regional broadband programme. An indicative €200 million of European Union and Government funding has been set aside for telecommunications infrastructure projects under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, including metropolitan fibre-optic networks, new fibre trunk lines, enhancement of existing cable facilities, and the enabling of telephone exchanges for digital subscriber lines.
The fibre-optic metropolitan area network, MAN, in Letterkenny, which will be officially launched on Friday, 28 November, is one of 19 such networks in towns and cities across the country and constitutes phase one of a massive public investment in telecommunications infrastructure under the NDP. In addition to the MAN programme, a number of private sector projects have been grant aided. The ESB fibre trunk network, 1,500 kilometres in length and including an extension through Letterkenny to Buncrana, was co-funded under the NDP and will shortly be able to offer service providers alternative access to back-haul.
The upgrading of telephone exchanges nationwide by both Eircom and Esat BT continues. I understand 900,000 telephone lines have been DSL enabled to date, and the aim is to have 1.2 million enabled by March 2004. Eircom has reported huge interest in broadband with upwards of 1,000 new DSL customers being connected each week.
Decisions regarding funding possibilities for further infrastructure developments will be made following a full assessment of phase one of the regional broadband programme. However, in those areas where broadband cannot yet be provided over traditional telephone lines, a number of companies are marketing broadband using wireless and satellite technology. A full list of licensed telecommunications service providers can be found on the ComReg website atwww.comreg.ie