Vol. 554 No. 5
96 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action the Government is taking to encourage and facilitate the development of broadband internet access nation-wide; the achievements to date in this regard; the time scale for future development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17008/02]
The provision of telecommunications services including internet services is a matter in the first instance for the companies who now operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent Director of Telecommunications Regulation. My responsibility is for public policy in the sector within which these companies operate. The widest possible availability of competitive services has traditionally been an important objective of Irish telecommunications policy. However, recognising that there are areas that are not as economically attractive for firms to invest in infrastructure and services, my Department has undertaken a number of initiatives to facilitate the roll-out of advanced communications infrastructure which seek to address gaps in communications infrastructure in regional Ireland. In 1999, under the 1994-99 national development plan and INTERREG II, €26.5 million was invested to support the roll-out of broadband to the border, midlands and west region and the south and east region. In addition, a contract was entered with Global Crossing in 1999 to provide international bandwidth. Under the 2000-06 national development plan, as I indicated in replying to an earlier question, the indicative allocation for communications initiatives to leverage and accelerate investment in regional broadband was approximately €200 million.
A first call for proposals was run in 2000 and on foot of submissions received, nine contracts were signed at the beginning of last year which will result in additional investment in the regions in broadband infrastructure and increased availability of broadband services for business and residential users. The projects involved are scheduled to be completed by the end of next year and will entail an overall investment of €160 million in broadband leveraged from grant assistance of approximately €55 million.
In late 2001, a second call for proposals was held and the ensuing broadband programme involves an indicative 20 projects which will lead to the construction of metropolitan area fibre optic networks in cities and towns to link up with the existing backbone network in the country. The metro fibre network programme involves the local and regional authorities and the relevant local authorities have been asked to enter procurement to establish firm prices for their proposals. Once procurement is completed, and subject to satisfactory pricing and appropriate approvals, contracts will be offered for these projects. It is anticipated that this will take place over the coming months and that the projects will be completed by the end of next year.
Following on the Government's identification of the need for the roll-out of broadband infrastructure to the regions, the Department of Public Enterprise, as it was then, held a call for proposals for pilot projects utilising VSAT satellite technologies in diverse user communities, to assess its suitability as a platform for the delivery of advanced broadband services in the regions to promote the deployment of broadband access in remote areas. My Department recently invited applications to conduct trials of wireless LAN technologies to demonstrate the feasibility of wireless broadband technology and to identify how and where it can be utilised and what constraints exists. I will announce the results later in the year.
Would the Minister agree that there is a direct link between the availability of flat rate access to the internet and the development of e-commerce and general use of the inter net? When does the Minister envisage that flat rate, always-on, low-cost, unmetered access to the internet will be available?
Is the Minister satisfied that sufficient cabling is already in the ground to provide a DSL infrastructure for many areas? What leadership will he give to ensure that there is genuine unbundling of the local loop to ensure that there is competition in the market? Where he is not satisfied that there is sufficient cable, will he give a policy directive, as allowed by communications regulations legislation, to local authorities to set out fair conditions in a standardised way to allow companies to install cable from one region to another? Does he accept that at present the biggest obstacle for many telecommunications companies is the difficulty and cost of being granted way-leave from local authorities as there is no uniformity of approach because of a lack of direction from the Minister?
I do not accept the last assertion about a lack of direction. My Department has been working daily with local authorities. Local authorities were chosen because they were the bodies able to give access to companies in order to lay the network.
It is different in every county.
We are using a model that was successfully deployed in other countries, particularly Sweden, and it is working well despite teething problems. My Department has been working with the local authorities and the companies to ensure that easy access is maintained. I compliment these authorities for the way in which they have taken this project on board.
As the Deputy knows, local loop unbundling is now law and the ODTR has responsibility for the implementation of that. Deputies and the public will already see the benefits of this as there is now a more fluid environment in accessing the network. Regarding the cable in the ground and connectivity, we have the Eircom network and the ESB is producing one with Government assistance, while there are other initiatives. Given that we entered the Global Crossing contract for international connectivity, Ireland will be well served in future.
UTV has already offered flat rate internet access at off-peak times.
It is limited and very slow.
Discussions are taking place between the larger companies to introduce flat rate peak and off-peak internet access nation-wide.
What is the Minister doing? The Minister did not address my question.
