Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The national broadband scheme contract guarantees that broadband connectivity will be available to all of the buildings within the NBS coverage areas. In recognition of the fact that some areas will be very costly and technologically challenging to reach using standard infrastructure, a limited number of residences and businesses in the NBS coverage area might be covered by a satellite service.

The NBS contract defines specific thresholds and circumstances under which satellite can be deployed and allows for a maximum of 8% of residences and businesses to be served utilising satellite technology. 3 Ireland anticipates the actual deployment of satellite will be approximately 5% of residences and businesses within the NBS coverage area. It is a matter for the NBS service provider, 3 Ireland, to decide where a satellite solution will be deployed, provided that the overall number of residences and businesses served by satellite does not exceed thresholds defined at a county level and for the NBS as a whole. As a commercial matter, 3 Ireland has entered into a contract with two satellite providers on a non-exclusive basis for the provision of the NBS satellite service. I understand that Avanti is one of these companies.

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