Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the many witnesses for coming before the committee today. As some of them mentioned they have been before the committee previously. I am a relatively new member of the committee but I have looked over the proceedings of previous meetings, specifically a meeting which took place two or three years ago when ComReg came before the committee. A number of issues were raised, specifically with regard to mobile phone coverage. I am not sure whether the issues were addressed or whether the comments made were taken on board. A regulator exists to protect the consumer. HIQA protects patients to ensure not just safe practice but best practice, and this is what we should be looking at here.

To focus on mobile phone companies initially, they will say what they want. The word "mobile" has lost its meaning because it is not mobile any more. I am a Deputy for the constituency of Meath East which stretches from the top of Cavan down to Clonee in Dublin. I spent most of the day in my car if I am not here. I do not know how many times I have almost thrown my phone out the window. I have a hands-free kit and everything is legal and above board. The main stakeholders, namely, O2, Vodafone and Meteor, all claim to have 99% population coverage. Perhaps this is clever use of language but it is false advertising because more than 50% of the population are in the top five or six cities. What the companies should state is what percentage of geographic coverage they have. A person who signs up to a contract thinks they will have coverage everywhere they go but they do not. The regulator needs to make this clear. What are the requirements laid down for the companies? Evidence-based measures were mentioned. What measures are taken into account? Will ComReg consider asking the companies to state their geographic coverage?

Consumers do not pay as much as they have done for packages but that does not mean the service should also deteriorate.

I put a message on Facebook earlier this week indicating that representatives of ComReg and the Department were coming before the committee, that I was annoyed about services in the area and that people could inform me of blackspots in Meath. It is an understatement to say I got a response. Some of the areas mentioned were Kilmessan, Culmullin, Kilmainhamwood, Allentown, Rathmolyon, Kilskeer, Robinstown and Ardbraccan. I have a two-and-a-half page list of areas sent by the people where broadband and mobile services are not satisfactory. Some people have indicated they have to stand on one leg, touch their nose and put their hand out a window to get reception. I apologise for sounding smart but the response I received was immense. People are really frustrated as their expectations are high. Mobile phone companies are pretending to do the devil and all but they are not providing a proper service. The regulator must ensure people know how to get the right service.

I will also pick up on the drive tests. Where are these tests carried out? Are they on main roads, motorways or regional local roads? I drop calls all the time, and not just on small roads. There is a large road network in Meath and many people are sick of listening to us going on about it. If I leave my office in Kells to go to Dublin on the M3, which is a relatively new motorway, phone calls may drop five or six times during the journey. There are 20,000 people using that motorway every day, so that should not happen.

With regard to broadband, I understand there is a mapping process under way, which takes time as the smaller areas must be examined. The Department has indicated the process will not go where a commercial entity has a presence, but what if the commercial entity is not giving the service it should? Many of the responses from people on Facebook claimed that when a complaint was made, they heard nothing from the companies. What will be done for the areas that the Department will not deal with? I understand there are issues with masts and pylons. In Meath, the North-South interconnector is causing a major problem. People want quick, easy, accessible, cheap and high-tech services but they do not want pylons. How can we bring people on board while giving them the service they want?