Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
35. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if telecomms providers will help customers remain connected as per the Covid-19 consumer commitments to which providers committed during the first wave of the pandemic (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3613/21]
View answerProviding telecommunication services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. I recognise how vital telecommunications services are to citizens for so many aspects of their daily lives, including remote working, studying and staying in touch with family members during the Covid-19 crisis. In April of last year, all major telecommunications providers in Ireland committed to a number of measures to help people stay in touch and work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, a number of operators have implemented further supports for consumers, such as for students in education, who require a high data usage package, by increasing data limits on many existing packages and by the introduction of new packages with very high, or unlimited data offerings. As a result, the market for mobile packages with very high, or unlimited data offerings, is becoming increasingly competitive, which is a positive development for consumers.
Operators have committed to engaging with any customer that contacts them who is in financial difficulty as a result of COVID-19 and has difficulty paying their bills to agree the best way of keeping them connected to voice and data.
