Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
20 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if ComReg will update the universal service obligation for telecommunications operators to include a consumers rights to a reasonable quality of functional Internet access in view of the fact that between 20% and 40% of households fail the quality test indicator for broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10199/04]
View answerRegulation 3(2)(c) of the universal service regulations provides for the placing of obligations on designated undertakings to provide connections that shall be capable of allowing end-users make and receive data communications at data rates that are sufficient to permit functional Internet access. Implementation of the aforementioned regulations is a matter for ComReg.
ComReg is currently in discussions with Eircom, the designated universal service provider, about ensuring that the Eircom network is capable of delivering the universal service obligations in regard to functional Internet access.
Internet access at a broadband standard is not currently provided for under the USO. However, as broadband becomes more widely ubiquitous as a consumer technology, the appropriateness of including it within universal service obligations can be reviewed.
