Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2018
753. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing issue regarding the lack of mobile phone signal and broadband signal in areas (details supplied), his plans to improve the services in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30441/18]
View answerI recognise the frustration felt by Irish consumers where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Accordingly, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. The Taskforce worked with key stakeholders to produce a report in December 2016, available on my Department’s website, which contained 40 actions to alleviate some of the deficits. The Implementation Group which I co-chair with Minister Kyne is overseeing implementation of the actions and comprises all key stakeholders responsible for delivery. This includes ComReg, which attends as both an action owner, and in an observer capacity in its role as the independent Regulator.
Minister Kyne and I published the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Implementation Review 2017 on 21 February 2018, which comprehensively outlines the progress made in 2017 on the actions identified by the Taskforce. Of the 40 actions, 29 have been completed, with work on the remaining 11 carrying into the 2018 Work Programme. Following close engagement with stakeholders at the National Stakeholder Forum, an additional 23 new measures have been identified for delivery in 2018, that will lead to improvements for consumers across Ireland.
The sixth meeting of the Taskforce Implementation Group was held on 4 July 2018, and the Quarter 2 2018 Progress Report has since been published on my Department’s website. This report offers progress updates on all Q2 actions.
In terms of addressing mobile coverage black-spots, various initiatives are under way:
- My Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development have worked to achieve a greater consensus around site selection for deployment of telecoms infrastructure and therefore improve mobile phone coverage.
- Both Departments also worked with a pilot group of local authorities to identify the issues associated with mapping local black-spots. This pilot exercise has been completed, with all local authorities having been asked to map local black-spots and identify infrastructure that could potentially be used to provide additional coverage on an economic basis. This exercise is on-going under the 2018 Taskforce Work Programme. It is planned to have dedicated Geographic Information System (GIS) resources in place to support this.
- A review was conducted to identify recommendations to address black-spots. A focus group is continuing this work in 2018, to inform future policy development and initiatives. The work of this focus group, will provide guidance on location categories where high quality mobile phone coverage should be made available as a priority, taking account of customer expectations.
- ComReg recently introduced a new scheme allowing the use of accredited mobile phone repeaters to help address the issue of indoor coverage, particularly in rural areas.
- ComReg is also developing a composite national coverage map, which will, in tandem with its work on handset testing and awareness raising activities, allow people across Ireland to optimise the services available to them.
In tandem with the work of the Taskforce, the release by ComReg of the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, which has been identified at EU level as a primary band suitable for 5G rollout, will also contribute to addressing increasing mobile data demands and improve mobile coverage. Mobile operators’ commercial investment has also resulted in improved services, following ComReg's 2012 multi-band spectrum auction. At least one operator now has in excess of 90% 4G population coverage.
All of these initiatives should help enhance the quality of mobile phone and data services, particularly in rural areas such as West Wicklow.
