Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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82. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he directly or through the medium of the communications regulator continues to monitor the quality, availability and standard of service available to the public in the context of broadband and mobile telephony; the extent to which recognised requirements are being met in both instances with particular reference to the need to ensure quality, availability and, in the case of broadband, high speed; if he continues to engage with the stakeholders in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29797/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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487. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has had recent discussions with the regulator in the context of the need to improve availability and quality of mobile telephone service in all areas throughout the country; if indication has been given as to when service may be improved especially where the system appears to be overloaded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30152/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 487 together.

The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone and broadband 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).

However, I am aware that the rate of demand for data services has increased by 500% in the last four years and this presents a continuing challenge for telecommunications operators, regulators and policy makers both in Ireland and internationally. Recognising this challenge, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Task force. In July 2016, I established the Task Force together with Minister Humphreys 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 report of the Task Force was published in December and is available on both Departments' websites.

In producing this report, the Task Force worked with Departments, local authorities, ComReg, State agencies, the telecoms industry and other key stakeholders. The report contains 40 actions that will alleviate some of the telecommunications deficits across Ireland and the implementation programme on mobile phone and broadband access identifies 19 of these actions as areas where immediate and direct action by Departments and State agencies can ensure accelerated benefits to consumers.

In order to maintain momentum created by the Task Force, I, together with Minister Humphreys, established an Implementation Group. This group is driving and monitoring the implementation of the actions, bringing together all key stakeholders identified in the Task Force report with responsibility for delivery. This group will be formally reporting every 90 days on progress made on all actions. This month, I published the first such quarterly progress report, which is available on my Department's website at www.dccae.gov.ie/documents/Taskforce%20Q1%20Progress%20Report.pdf and which shows that considerable progress has been made, particularly in relation to the implementation of actions identified for Q1 2017.

The work of the Task Force will also assist local authorities in preparing for the roll-out of the new NBP network once contracts are in place.

A stakeholder forum is planned for October 2017, to be held outside of Dublin, to take stock of progress made in implementing the Taskforce actions and to discuss all the issues impacting on the rollout of telecoms infrastructure

In addition, following regulations which I signed last year, ComReg recently announced the results of its auction for the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, which means an 86% increase in spectrum capacity to meet the growing demand for mobile and wireless broadband services across rural and urban areas. The Regulator has awarded 15 year licences for the rights of use in this band which will provide a degree of stability and create future investment certainty. Spectrum was also awarded in lots covering 9 urban and rural regions across the country.

In my Department's Estimates for 2017, I have secured an €8 million provision for RTE to allow it to free up the 700 MHz spectrum band. ComReg in turn will make plans to allocate this spectrum to provide for significantly enhanced mobile coverage. The 700 MHz band is particularly suited to rural environments where the signal can travel long distances.

The Government's National Broadband Plan will provide high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location.  

The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector so that to date approximately 1.4m or 61% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband of a minimum of 30 Megabits per second-this footprint is expanding.  In April, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir who will provide broadband to an additional 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis.  Eir has committed to concluding this work over a 90 week period, an average of 500 premises passed per day. My Department is monitoring this rollout. 

A formal procurement process is in train to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network within the State Intervention Area, comprising c 540,000 (23%) premises. The timeframe for the procurement continues to be dependent on a range of factors including the complexities that may be encountered by the procurement team and bidders, during the procurement process.

These initiatives should assist in enhancing the quality of mobile phone and broadband services across Ireland and particularly in rural Ireland.

In its regulation of the telecommunications sector, ComReg collects data from operators on a quarterly basis, in order to both understand and monitor current trends in the Irish communications market, as well as to inform external users. ComReg publishes these reports on its website (www.comreg.ie), with the latest available report being the Q1 2017 report. In terms of mobile phone services, ComReg imposes terms and conditions, such as quality and coverage obligations, on operators when issuing licences. It monitors mobile operators’ compliance with these requirements by means of bi-annual drive tests.