Robert Troy
Question:140. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of fibre broadband availability to a property (details supplied). [42885/20]
View answerTuesday, 15 December 2020
Questions (140)
Written answers
The Question refers to a premises which is located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention, the contract for which was signed in November 2019 with National Broadband Ireland (NBI). I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network but cannot get a connection to that network, particularly given the heightened importance of connectivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NBP will ensure that in all such cases a future proofed high speed broadband network will be built to serve these premises and work to deliver on this is underway. It will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years.Further details are available on specific areas within County Westmeath through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises as works commence. I am aware that concerns have been raised regarding the level of information available on the deployment of the NBI network and I am advised that NBI is working to provide more detail on its website, with a rolling update on network build plans.I am advised by NBI that, as of 10 December 2020, over 145,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed which is ahead of the full year survey target of 120,000 that had been projected by the company. Surveys have been completed in the areas of Mullingar, Sonna, Stonehall, Taghmon, Jamestown, Hopestown and Athlone. The next step is for NBI to develop network designs to deliver the new fibre to the home network to these premises, followed by pre build and build works. The first fibre to the home connections are expected shortly in Carrigaline and will be subject to technical testing and validation prior to a wider release of the area. I am advised that from early 2021 retailers will be able to resell the service and householders in these areas will be able to order high speed broadband provided via the NBI network.Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 3 December, 217 sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly available sites and by the Department of Education for schools. 59 publicly accessible BCPs across the country are now live. BCPs locations installed in Westmeath include Streete Parish Park & Community Hall, Whitehall Community Centre, Milltown Emper Community Centre and Ballycomoyle GAA Club are due to be connected in the coming months. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/. Scoil Náisiúnta Bhride in Co Westmeath is connected for educational access as part of this initiative. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise other schools with no high speed broadband, within the intervention area for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan has just been announced which will see some 679 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026.