Michael Collins
Ceist:4. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to take action with regard to mobile telephone operators (details supplied). [21837/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 14 July 2016
Ceisteanna (4)
Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)
I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State on broadband since taking office. Another issue I wish to discuss is the lack of mobile telephone coverage. There are very serious issues, in particular, in rural Ireland where mobile telephone coverage has reduced considerably in recent months instead of progressing. Masts have been taken down in several parts of west Cork, leaving areas without any mobile telephone coverage. I would appreciate if the Minister of State would comment.
Telecommunications service providers operate in a fully liberalised market under licences provided by ComReg. The management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of ComReg. Notwithstanding the independence of ComReg, I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland, where mobile networks are not always delivering the services people expect. There are a variety of reasons for this. Data usage in Ireland has increased by 500% in the last five years; current 3G and 4G upgrades have resulted in temporary outages in some areas; there are planning and siting issues for mobile masts and antenna; there are issues with the performance of individual handsets and particularly smart phones; and there is the issue of in-house insulation.
The telecommunications sector has invested over €2 billion in the past four years, in modernising networks including significant upgrades to 3G and 4G services. Notwithstanding this investment, the programme for Government recognises the ongoing frustration of consumers with the quality of mobile telephone and broadband services. In line with the programme for Government my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, and I will establish a mobile telephone and broadband task force in the coming weeks. This will consider immediate measures to address telecommunications deficits in rural Ireland. The task force will involve a number of Departments and agencies, as well as engagement with ComReg and telecommunications operators. I encourage members who have suggestions to submit them to me. I have received some very useful submissions and contributions from Members of this House. Measures arising from the task force will be implemented by the Government as a matter of priority.
I expect we will bring these proposals to Government before the end of 2016 on foot of the task force's report.
Under the programme for Government, the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, is also establishing two regional action groups. Working with local authorities, local enterprise offices, Leader groups and other relevant agencies, these groups will help to accelerate the roll out of broadband and mobile telecoms services at local level.
I welcome the news of the establishment of this task force but a recent merger of two major mobile phone companies in this country will result in a loss of 880 masts. That is a serious loss, especially in rural communities. I ask that the Minister urge ComReg to step in to stop the taking down of those masts. One company had 1,880 and the other had 1,300, totalling more than 3,100. Now there will be a loss of 880, which is incredible. There has been a major loss of mobile reception and people who were experiencing difficulties in quite a number of areas prior to this, now have no mobile reception. West Cork, in particular, has been hit very badly. I refer to places such as Corran, Skibbereen, Bantry, Kilbrittain, Bandon and the towns throughout that region. It has not only impacted on one area, the three peninsulas of Mizen, Sheep's Head and Beara have also been hit. I presume the experience has been the same in other parts of rural Ireland. I urge the Minister to get ComReg to step in to stop this. There are planning issues around erecting masts but existing masts are now been taken down.
The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is establishing two regional action groups. These new structures at both national and local levels are designed to address, as far as possible, immediate frustrations about the quality of mobile phone and broadband coverage as well as the roll out of the national broadband plan over the next 12 months. My Department is liaising closely with the industry and the other relevant Departments and agencies to assist in the commercial deployment of telecommunications networks. The key focus in the short term will be on the mobile phone and broadband task force.
To answer the Deputy's question, with respect to 4G roll out, Vodafone has 98% 3G coverage and 95% 4G coverage; Meteor has 99% 3G coverage and 75% 4G coverage; and 3 has 96% 3G coverage and 73% 4G coverage. However, the difficulty is that this is coverage of the population rather than of the geographic area of the country. Approximately 70% of premises are on about 4% of the landmass of the country and therein lies the problem. There is an issue with the way the current licences are structured. It is all about population coverage rather than geographic coverage. This is historic problem not only in Ireland but right across Europe. We will have to examine this issue when it come to the next round of licences.
I thank the Minister for his response. I look forward to working with the task force or in any other way to help improve mobile phone and broadband coverage. I am strongly of the view that those issues, broadband and mobile phone coverage, should be discussed at the same time as there can be solutions around both areas. I look forward to that happening in the coming months.
The Deputy is right. It is my intention to deal with the mobile phone, wireless and broadband issues in the short term. As soon as we get recommendations from this group, I intend to start acting on them. It will not be a case of waiting until December to do it. However, an issue that cannot be ignored is that some local authorities take a very different approach to the issue of antennae and mobile phone masts. For example, in my constituency, the development contribution in County Roscommon for the construction of a telephone mast is zero while across the River Suck in the other part of my constituency in County Galway, it is €20,000. The levels of refusals in the Deputy's adjoining county of Kerry have been significant. First time grants in County Kerry for telecommunications antennae from Vodafone, which are the lowest in the country, are 25% and yet in Cork, the figure is 87%. Surely the planning process in County Cork is not that different from County Kerry.