Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
611. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the plans in place to upgrade mobile telephone coverage in an area of County Waterford (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30437/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTelecommunications service providers operate in a fully liberalised market under licences provided by the Commission for Communications Regulation (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. The Programme for Government therefore committed to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. In July, I established the Taskforce, with my colleague, Minister Heather Humphreys. The Taskforce aims to unlock barriers to investment in mobile and broadband services. The Taskforce has already met 11 times and a number of helpful initiatives are emerging, in the areas of planning, Local Authority engagement, and consumer information/engagement.
The Taskforce involves a number of Government Departments and agencies, as well as engagement with ComReg and telecommunications operators. I expect that we will bring a report to Government by the end of 2016, on foot of the Taskforce's work.
Under the Programme for Government Minister 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 accelerate the roll-out of broadband and mobile services at local level.
These new structures at a national and local level, are designed to address as far as possible immediate issues in relation to the quality of mobile phone and broadband coverage.
In addition, I intend to sign Regulations over the coming days, which will allow ComReg to proceed with an auction of the 3.6GHz spectrum band in early 2017. This auction will provide an 86% increase in total harmonised spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless broadband services.
I have also secured €8m in the Budget for RTÉ which will allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band. ComReg in turn will make plans to auction this spectrum, which will provide for significantly enhanced mobile coverage. My Department has already established a working group with ComReg and RTÉ to deliver this important project.
These initiatives should assist in significantly enhancing the quality of mobile phone and data services across Ireland, and particularly in rural Ireland.
In the meantime any customer, including those in County Waterford and its environs, who experience service difficulties should raise the matter with the service provider in the first instance. If this fails to resolve matters, customers can refer a complaint to ComReg, who will investigate the service provider’s compliance with its contractual obligations.
In parallel with these initiatives to resolve issues in relation to mobile and wireless services, the National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. This is being achieved through private investment by commercial telecommunications companies and through a State intervention in areas where commercial investment is not forthcoming.
The procurement process aims to identify an entity or entities to build, roll-out, operate and deliver high speed broadband of at least 30 Mbps download and 6 Mbps upload speeds to all premises within the intervention area. Last week, I announced that the three bidders in the procurement process have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution for rural Ireland under the National Broadband Plan intervention. Householders and businesses may potentially get speeds not just of 30Mbps but up to 1Gbps with businesses potentially availing of symmetrical upload and download speeds. The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the extent of the State Intervention area:
- The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention which are the subject of the current procurement process and includes Dunmoon, Co Waterford.
The procurement process to select a contract(s) to deliver the NBP network has commenced and intensive dialogue with the three bidders is currently underway. Ultimately, this should deliver a solution that will endure for 25 years and beyond and put Ireland to the forefront internationally in terms of connectivity.
