Vol. 439 No. 1
48 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications when he intends to consider the allocation of a contract to a private telecommunications company to provide mobile telephone services; the arrangements, if any, he is making with Telecom Éireann to enable this service to interface with Telecom Éireann's fixed wire system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I will be announcing a tender competition shortly for the award of a licence for a single competitor for Telecom Éireann in the area of digital mobile telephony, known as "GSM".
Interconnection with the Telecom Éireann fixed network will be a necessary feature of the service provided by the new licensee. The technical and commercial arrangements for such interconnection are currently being considered in consultation with Telecom Éireann and will be announced during the tender competition.
My intention is that the licence will be issued later this year.
