Frank Feighan
Question:918 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when broadband will be available in a town (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [1149/10]
View answerTuesday, 19 January 2010
Questions (848, 849, 850, 851)
Written answers
In December 2008, my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). 3 is required to provide services to all residences and businesses that are within the NBS area and which seek a service. The company continues to progress its network roll-out and services have gone live in almost half of the designated areas to be covered under the Scheme. Under the contract 3 are required to cover the entire NBS area by end September this year.
The general area of Carrigallen, County Leitrim will be covered by the NBS. It is not possible to predict at this stage when precisely broadband services under this Scheme will become available in this area. The current status of each area to be covered by the NBS is available at www.three.ie/nbs.
Joe McHugh
Question:919 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will address a number of concerns (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1168/10]
View answerFollowing the conclusion of a technology neutral competitive tendering process, using the Competitive Dialogue Procurement procedure as set out in the European Communities (Award of Public Authorities' Contracts) Regulations 2006, the contract to implement and operate the National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") was entered into with Hutchison 3G Ireland Ltd (trading as "3") in late December 2008.
Operational matters, such as employment of contractors and the provision of frontline customer support, are a matter for Hutchison 3G Ireland Ltd. In addition, the provision of broadband services will have a positive impact on economic and commercial activity, enabling existing companies to grow and new business to set up in the NBS area.
Joe McHugh
Question:920 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when broadband will be made available at locations (details supplied) in County Donegal; the penalties that apply to mobile telephone companies contracted by the State for the non-delivery of broadband to areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1169/10]
View answerJoe McHugh
Question:930 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will review and preview broadband services in a location (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1628/10]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 920 and 930 together.
In December 2008, my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). The company is required to provide services, using a mix of technologies, to all fixed residences and businesses that are located within the NBS Coverage Area and who seek a service. My Department, with the assistance of independent technical consultants, Analysys Mason Ltd, will throughout the contract term, actively monitor performance of the infrastructure, service availability, service delivery and customer experience as well as overall compliance with its contractual obligations by 3.
Delays in achieving contractual rollout milestones will result in late and/or reduced subsidy payments to 3. Additionally, the NBS contract imposes a service credit regime on 3 with significant consequences in the event of proven failure to meet the contractually binding service or customer service obligations. 3 continues to progress its network rollout and NBS broadband services are available in almost half of the 1,028 designated Electoral Divisions (ED) to be covered under the Scheme.
With particular reference to County Donegal, the following table shows the 52 EDs to be covered under the NBS in the County and identifies the 15 EDs, which can now avail of the NBS broadband services. Details of all the areas to be covered by the NBS, including the status of the NBS rollout, are available at www.three.ie/nbs. Under the NBS contract, all EDs in the NBS Coverage Area will have broadband connectivity by end September 2010.
It is accepted that even after the full roll-out of the NBS there will still be a small percentage of premises that will not be capable of receiving broadband services. This is primarily due to technical and other reasons (suitability of a telephone line, distance from an enabled exchange, no line of sight etc.). The European Commission has set aside a portion of the European Economic Recovery Programme (EERP) funding for rural broadband initiatives. My Department is currently considering the detailed design and implementation of a scheme which would address the issue of unserved rural premises outside of the NBS areas.
It is hoped to commence the scheme this year with the identification of premises not capable of receiving broadband. State Aid approval has been granted by the European Commission as part of the overall process of securing the necessary approvals and funding for the scheme.
|
Ed Name |
ED reference No. |
Status |
|
Altnapaste Ed |
57001 |
Live |
|
Aran Ed |
57003 |
Planned |
|
Ardmalin Ed |
57005 |
Live |
|
Ards Ed |
57006 |
Planned |
|
Ballintra Ed |
57007 |
Planned |
|
Ballintra Ed |
57008 |
Planned |
|
Ballyshannon Urban Ed |
57012 |
Live |
|
Binbane Ed |
57014 |
Planned |
|
Carrowkeel Ed |
57025 |
Planned |
|
Carthage Ed |
57026 |
Planned |
|
Cavangarden Ed |
57031 |
Planned |
|
Church-Hill Ed |
57032 |
Live |
|
Cliff Ed |
57033 |
Planned |
|
Cloghan Ed |
57034 |
Live |
|
Clogher Ed |
57036 |
Planned |
|
Creenasmear Ed |
57043 |
Planned |
|
Creeslough Ed |
57044 |
Planned |
|
Crovehy Ed |
57046 |
Planned |
|
Doe Castle Ed |
57052 |
Planned |
|
Dunaff Ed |
57056 |
Planned |
|
Dunlewy |
57060 |
Planned |
|
Eanymore Ed |
57061 |
Live |
|
Fanad North Ed |
57064 |
Live |
|
Fanad West Ed |
57065 |
Live |
|
Feddyglass Ed |
57066 |
Planned |
|
Fintown Ed |
57068 |
Planned |
|
Gartan Ed |
57069 |
Live |
|
Glen Ed |
57070 |
Planned |
|
Glenalla Ed |
57071 |
Planned |
|
Glenleheen Ed |
57076 |
Planned |
|
Gortahork Ed |
57081 |
Planned |
|
Graffy Ed |
57083 |
Planned |
|
Grousehall Ed |
57086 |
Planned |
|
Inishkeel Ed |
57090 |
Planned |
|
Kilgoly Ed |
57094 |
Planned |
|
Killymasny Ed |
57099 |
Live |
|
Laghy Ed |
57104 |
Planned |
|
Lettermacaward Ed |
57108 |
Planned |
|
Lough Eask Ed |
57110 |
Planned |
|
Maas Ed |
57112 |
Planned |
|
Malin Ed |
57116 |
Planned |
|
Malinbeg Ed |
57117 |
Live |
|
Meenaclady Ed |
57119 |
Planned |
|
Meencargagh Ed |
57120 |
Live |
|
Pettigoe Ed |
57126 |
Planned |
|
Seacor Ed |
57134 |
Live |
|
St Johnstown Ed |
57135 |
Planned |
|
Tawnawully Ed |
57139 |
Planned |
|
Templecarn Ed |
57140 |
Planned |
|
Templedouglas Ed |
57141 |
Live |
|
Termon Ed |
57142 |
Planned |