Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
214. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if an area (details supplied) will be brought into the State intervention area under the National Broadband Plan due to the provision of slow internet speeds under 30mbps in the locality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16573/21]
View answerAs previously stated in my reply of 10 March to a Parliamentary Question on this matter, the premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.
BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.
Notwithstanding this, my Department has again checked the matters raised and from the records provided by the service provider the premises in the estate is listed as getting speeds of at least 30Mbps. As previously advised complaints about service provision are a matter between the consumer and the service provider in the first instance. If this avenue has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) may be able to assist further. ComReg is the independent body that issues licences to broadband service providers and investigates complaints to make sure that companies are delivering services in line with their licence obligations.
In the event that, having exhausted the above options, a premises located in the BLUE area still cannot get high speed broadband from service providers in the area, they should contact my Department at broadband@decc.gov.ie with full details and the matter will be investigated further by my officials.
