Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 May 2014
280. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he had any communication with or received any information from ComReg in regard to the quality of broadband and mobile telephony throughout the country with particular reference to the need to achieve high-quality services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20360/14]
View answerThe Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) publishes quarterly data reports on developments in the electronic communications market on a national basis. Its report to the end of 2013 states that 35% of customers had contracted for marketed fixed broadband services of 30 Mbps or higher compared to 20% a year earlier, 18% of customers had contracted for broadband speeds between 10 and 30 Mbps compared to 11% a year earlier and the proportion of customers contracted for speeds between 2 and 10 Mbps and less than 2 Mbps fell from 61% and 7% in December 2012 to 41% and 5% respectively at end 2013.
In the mobile market ComReg reports there were 4.45m active 3G SIMs in Ireland at end 2013 compared to 4.34m at end 2012. The number of smartphone and tablet users increased to 2.6m at end 2013, an increase of 9.2% compared to Q4 2012. These figures include SIMs capable of providing access to advanced data services such as web/internet content, online multiplayer gaming content, video on demand (VoD) or other equivalent advanced data services. ComReg will measure 3G and 4G access separately in future reports as the number of 4G users increases following the launch of 4G services in 2013.
The continuing increases in the number of customers accessing broadband services at higher speeds and the growth in the number of users of high speed mobile services and handsets is indicative of the ongoing and substantial investment by the commercial sector in next generation fixed and mobile electronic communications services.
