The Schools Broadband Access Programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry. The Agreement with IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) provides for a three year €18m joint Fund, with industry contributing €5 million per annum and the Government contributing €1 million per annum, and meets the costs of schools local connectivity. The broadband connectivity is being provided via a Schools National Broadband Network supported by HEAnet, which provides managed Internet access, security controls, content filtering and other services designed to enhance the educational process. A Broadband Support Service Desk has also been established to assist schools with advice and information relating to the roll-out and ongoing use of their broadband connectivity within the schools network.
Following a public tendering process, contracts were finalised in 2005 with six Service Providers for the provision of local access connectivity to schools and with a further Provider for the installation of a broadband router at school level where appropriate. Roll out of the local connectivity and router installation commenced in June 2005. The installation process has two stages starting with the local broadband connectivity installation (involving DSL, satellite or wireless technology) followed by the installation of a high-speed router and circuit and acceptance testing. A school then must confirm that it has an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in place and it must indicate which content filtering option it requires prior to the activation of the school's connectivity via the Schools National Broadband Network. The costs associated with the Project are paid by my Department directly so there are no grants issuing to schools for broadband services.
HEAnet has established a Network Operations Centre to channel and control the broadband access to schools and it provides centrally managed services for schools such as security, anti-spam/ anti-virus and content filtering. The national helpdesk and HEAnet work with the individual schools and service providers involved to address service issues on an on-going basis. Having regard to the usage levels observed by HEAnet, my Department has recently procured additional bandwidth from its two satellite providers which should result in improved broadband connection speeds for schools on this portion of the Schools Broadband Network. My Department will also be tendering for a programme evaluator to independently evaluate the deployment of broadband access to schools and the impact of such deployment within schools over the period of the Schools Broadband Access Programme.