Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2017
524. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the outcome of discussions he has had with the telecommunications regulator and the telecommunications providers regarding the inadequate mobile telephone coverage in County Donegal; his plans to deal with the substandard service available in County Donegal at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42858/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone services, is a matter for the service providers concerned which operate in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to roll out services to particular locations.
Any customer across Ireland who experiences service difficulties, including those in County Donegal, should raise the matter with the service provider in the first instance. If this fails to resolve matters, customers can and should refer a complaint to ComReg, which will investigate the service provider's compliance with its contractual obligations.
However, notwithstanding the independence of ComReg, I recognise the frustration experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. In that regard, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. In July 2016, I established the Taskforce to identify immediate solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers, prior to the full build and roll-out of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention. The December 2016 report of the Taskforce is available on my Department's website.
The Taskforce worked with Departments, local authorities, ComReg, State agencies, the telecoms industry and other key stakeholders to produce the report which contains 40 actions to alleviate some of the telecommunications deficits across Ireland. To maintain momentum, I established an Implementation Group to drive and monitor implementation of the actions, bringing together all key stakeholders responsible for delivery. This group will report on progress every 90 days and has met twice this year, in March and July, with another meeting due to take place in the coming weeks. Two quarterly progress reports have been published so far, which are available on my Department's website. These demonstrate that good progress has been made in delivering the actions. I am also pleased at the sustained level of engagement between action owners and industry.
This engagement was clearly demonstrated last Friday in Athlone, where myself and Minister Kyne jointly hosted the first National Stakeholder Forum. This Forum arose out of a recognition by the Taskforce that, given the rapid pace of technology and the emergence of new equipment and solutions to deliver telecommunications services, it was critical that an opportunity be afforded to stakeholders to raise concerns on impediments to the roll-out of services. At last week’s Forum, the opportunity was taken not only to discuss the issues impacting on such roll-out, but also to suggest new recommended actions to the Taskforce that will assist in providing improved services to consumers and in preparing for the roll-out of the new NBP network once contracts are in place. The Forum will also inform the review to be conducted prior to completion of an annual report by the Implementation Group for the end of 2017.
In addition, following regulations which I signed last year, ComReg’s announcement earlier this year of the results of its auction for the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, will mean an 86% increase in spectrum capacity to meet the growing demand for mobile and wireless broadband services across rural and urban areas. The award of 15-year licences for the rights of use in this band will provide stability and create future investment certainty. Spectrum was also awarded in lots covering nine urban and rural regions across Ireland.
The very significant commercial investment by mobile operators has resulted in improved services, with at least one operator now having in excess of 90% 4G population coverage.
