Written answers

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Broadband Service Provision

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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179. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises passed under the Eircom commitment contract in Q2, Q3 and Q4 of 2017 that were deployed by means of eVDSL, LR-VDSL or were otherwise not fibre-to-the-premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9015/18]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The number of eVDSL premises passed by eir under the terms of the April 2017 Commitment Agreement for the three Quarters referenced by the Deputy is set out below:

Quarter 2 2017:  0 premises

Quarter 3 2017:  2,918 premises

Quarter 4 2017:  392 premises

Premises passed will now be able to avail of eVDSL enabled services which include speeds from 30Mbps up to and including 100Mbps.  Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at.  Quarterly updates on eir's rural deployment are published on this website. Of the 300K planned rural deployment, my Department has verified that eir has passed a total of 121,000 premises as at Quarter 4 2017.

A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website .

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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180. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 587 of 23 May 2017, his plans to issue a policy direction to a body (details supplied) in relation to the coverage conditions, as opposed to the allocation method, or of spectrum licences in the 700MHz band; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9016/18]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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A Decision has been adopted at EU level in order to co-ordinate the release the 694-790MHz (700MHz) spectrum band in all Member States by 30 June 2020. This proposal will allow mobile broadband services to use this part of the spectrum band.

The EU Commission's Digital Single Market Strategy highlights the importance of this band for ensuring the provision of broadband services in rural areas. The band is particularly attractive for wireless broadband services, allowing higher speeds and greater coverage over long distances. 

In Ireland, the 700MHz band is currently used by digital terrestrial television services (DTT) and to meet the timeline of June 2020 for clearance of broadcasting services from this band, my Department and ComReg have been working to ensure the necessary measures are taken to facilitate a clearance of the spectrum. This work is being carried out with the cooperation of RTÉ (as owner and operator of the two DTT public service multiplexes) and its subsidiary, 2rn, as the owner and operator of the national broadcasting transmission network.

Ireland does not foresee any difficulties which may prevent the signing of cross-border agreements with relevant countries. ComReg and my department have fully engaged in the necessary technical and policy cross-border coordination work with the UK authorities and, in that regard, the date of 4 September 2019 has been identified as the start date for the coordinated migration of terrestrial broadcasting services from this spectrum band in both jurisdictions. 

This date represents the beginning of a period of simulcast, which is designed to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that those households that rely solely on the Saorview DTT service can undertake the necessary preparations without undue interruption to their reception of that service.  It is considered that the period of simulcast will end by March 2020 and, at that time, all terrestrial broadcast transmissions in the 700MHz band will be required to cease.

The management of radio spectrum is a matter for ComReg, which is independent in the exercise of its functions, including the future allocation of the 700MHz band and any terms and conditions attached to any licenses issued. Having regard to the independence of ComReg in the matter, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time. I have no reason to believe that any process undertaken by ComReg will not result in the fair allocation of any future spectrum assignment and I expect the outcomes of any such process to provide a level of certainty and transparency for all stakeholders. 

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