Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
145. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if the national broadband plan involves the laying of fibre broadband lines in areas that are already served; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31460/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed last November to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.
The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract.
The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and approximately 70,000 to 100,000 premises will be passed each year thereafter which will result in over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years.
Since 2013, my Department has engaged in an extensive process of mapping broadband availability in Ireland in order to identify areas which have no existing or planned Next Generation Access networks. A mapping consultation was conducted in 2019 to conclude the NBP mapping exercise to determine the final scope of the Intervention Area before contract award. The mapping exercise identified the areas where intervention is needed and where no private investor has demonstrated a concrete plan to invest commercially in high speed broadband in the near future. The mapping exercise confirmed the scope of the Intervention Area for the purposes of the contract with NBI.
NBI is now contracted to deploy high speed broadband within the Intervention Area. NBI deployment will maximise the re-use of existing infrastructure predominantly through the existing eir pole and duct network and the State owned Metropolitan Area Networks co-location sites.
