I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 89 together.
The objective of the one-stop-shop commitment in the Next Generation Broadband policy paper "Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland", is to facilitate telecoms network operators in gaining access to ducting that exists along publicly owned energy, transport and other infrastructure so as to help reduce the cost of fibre roll-out for backhaul networks. An important step in delivering on this commitment is the Communications Regulation (Premium Rate Services and Electronic Communications Infrastructure) Act 2010, which provides that the National Roads Authority (NRA) is the single point of contact for access to ducts on motorways and other national roads. This means that telecommunications service providers no longer have to approach individual local authorities when seeking such access.
The legislation also allows the NRA to make a scheme, which will permit it to impose charges for the use of ducts subject to the approval of the Minister for Transport following consultation with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and the Minister for Finance. I am satisfied that this will provide an open and transparent way of setting access pricing for NRA infrastructure. I understand the NRA has engaged expertise to assist in developing this new business and that it has been meeting with service providers as part of this process. I very much welcome this development as it is an example of what I set out to achieve in facilitating open access to State-owned ducting. Such open access is a clear policy objective of mine. The NRA model is a significant advance and I will be seeking to extend this approach to other suitable State-owned infrastructure.
In relation to the implementation of other policy initiatives, set out in my policy paper "Next Generation Broadband — Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland ”, much progress has also been made:
On international connectivity: — The telecoms Points of Presence for the Kelvin project have all been connected to the Kelvin direct international telecoms connectivity which is undergoing three months of final testing for completion of the Kelvin project.
The position remains that any future broadband investment decisions, including investment in any further phases of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Programme, will be guided by (i) the policy paper on Next Generation Broadband, which was published in June 2009 (ii) the Value for Money and Policy Review of Phase I of the MANs Programme, which was published in July 2008 and (iii) the availability of resources.
On the National Broadband scheme — My Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") in late December 2008. Since then, 3 has progressed its network roll out and NBS broadband services are now available in more than sixty percent of the 1,028 designated Electoral Divisions ("ED") to be covered under the Scheme. Under the NBS contract, all EDs in the NBS Coverage Area are required to have broadband connectivity by end September 2010.
Schools participating in the 100Mbps to post primary schools pilot project have begun to connect to the new high speed network with all scheduled to be connected in the coming weeks.
The majority of broadband subscriptions, 68% residential and 75% non-residential, are now in the 2-10 Mbps range, higher speeds, in some cases up to 50Mbps are alsoavailable to residential and SME customers and up to 24Mbps are becoming more generally available from DSL providers which is contributing to the higher speeds target for 2012.
ComReg's current Strategy Statement and its draft Strategy Statement to 2012, recently published for comment, are consistent with the targets to provide a proportionate regulatory framework to permit competition and effective spectrum management and use.
As regards the Broadband Task Force, an industry position, agreed by service providers is a prerequisite to progressing such a Task Force effectively. Such a position would provide the setting for a meaningful discussion involving industry, ComReg and my officials on how best to facilitate the roll out of Next Generation Access.