Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
39. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the differing technological capabilities of broadband connection points compared to the service areas will eventually receive under the national broadband plan. [34159/20]
View answerThe Broadband Connection Points (BCP) initiative is a collaborative effort involving my Department, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Local Authorities, National Broadband Ireland (NBI), Vodafone Ireland and the owners and managers of the host sites.
BCPs will be among the first premises connected under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and will receive high-speed broadband via a temporary wireless solution. This solution will provide approximately 150mbps download speeds and will remain in place until the premises is connected with a permanent fibre solution under the NBP.
BCPs will also be provided with high specification switches (control boxes) and wifi access points under the contract that my Department has with Vodafone Ireland. Vodafone will also support the further development of the BCP network. The equipment supplied by Vodafone will allow for superfast wifi use and, in several cases, for networked PCs and other wired equipment such as digital whiteboards.
NBI, the company contracted to deliver the National Broadband Plan, recently announced that the standard speeds available at premises connected to the NBP fibre network will be 500mbps, a substantial increase from the previously agreed 150mbps.
While the temporary wireless solution in place at BCPs will not allow for 500mbps speeds, my officials have been assured that BCPs, as with other premises, will be provided with 500mbps speeds on connection to the NBP fibre network. At that stage, the wireless infrastructure will be removed and the customer premises equipment will be switched over immediately, ensuring continuity of service to the site and to the community it serves.
