Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2067. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the inadequate mobile telephone coverage in many parts of counties Cavan and Monaghan; if he, his Department or the Communications Regulator will engage with mobile telecoms providers to ensure that customers in that area are provided with improved coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33902/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2068. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of measures being taken to improve the quality of mobile phone coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33969/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2070. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when mobile coverage in an urban area (details supplied) will be rectified under the mobile broadband taskforce. [34042/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2067, 2068 and 2070 together.
Providing telecommunications services, including mobile phone services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as independent regulator. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services and make specific investments in particular locations. The ComReg consumer helpline is accessible at consumerline@comreg.ie and I would urge consumers who feel they have not received an appropriate response from service providers to make contact with the Regulator.
Notwithstanding ComReg's independence, I recognise the frustration felt by Irish consumers where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Accordingly, I specifically included in the programme for Government a commitment to a mobile phone and broadband taskforce. The taskforce worked with key stakeholders to produce a report in December 2016, available on my Department’s website, which contained 40 actions to alleviate some of the deficits. The implementation group I co-chair with the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, is overseeing implementation of the actions and comprises all key stakeholders responsible for delivery. This includes ComReg, which attends as both an action owner, and in an observer capacity in its role as the independent regulator.
Minister Kyne and I published the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Implementation Review 2017 on 21 February 2018, which comprehensively outlines the progress made in 2017 on the actions identified by the Taskforce. Of the 40 actions, 29 have been completed, with work on the remaining 11 carrying into the 2018 Work Programme. Following close engagement with stakeholders at the National Stakeholder Forum, an additional 23 new measures have been identified for delivery in 2018, that will lead to improvements for consumers across Ireland.
In terms of addressing mobile coverage blackspots, various initiatives are under way:
- My Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development have worked to achieve a greater consensus around site selection for telecoms infrastructure and therefore improve mobile phone coverage.
- Both Departments also worked with a pilot group of local authorities to identify the issues associated with mapping local blackspots. This pilot exercise has been completed, with all local authorities having been asked to map local blackspots and identify infrastructure that could potentially be used to provide additional coverage on an economic basis. This exercise is ongoing, and has been included in the 2018 taskforce work programme. It is planned to have a dedicated GIS resources in place to support this.
- A working group has been established with the remit of investigating the feasibility of developing standardised policy for accessing and utilising State assets for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure.
- ComReg is delivering a composite national coverage map, which will, in tandem with its work on handset testing and activities to raise consumer awareness, allow people across Ireland to optimise the services available to them.
- Following a consultation process ComReg has developed a licensing scheme which will enable households and businesses to use mobile phone repeaters to boost signals into their premises and bring immediate improvements in mobile coverage.
All of these initiatives should assist in enhancing the quality of mobile phone and data services, particularly in rural areas.
In tandem with the work of the taskforce, the release by ComReg of the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, which has been identified at EU level as a primary band suitable for the introduction of 5G, will also contribute to addressing increasing mobile data demands and improve mobile coverage. Mobile operators’ commercial investment has also resulted in improved services, following ComReg's 2012 multi-band spectrum auction. At least one operator now has in excess of 90% 4G population coverage.
