Policy information
Broadband
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
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Broadband has become a necessity of everyday life in Ireland.
Delivery of high speed broadband to all parts of Ireland is a government priority.
The National Broadband Plan is a framework for the delivery of high speed broadband services through commercial and state investment.
The plan follows previous initiatives such as the National Broadband Scheme, which provided basic broadband services in areas that could not be commercially served, and the Metropolitan Area Networks, which provides fibre based connectivity to over 90 towns across Ireland.
High speed broadband is being delivered through a combination of:
- commercial investment by the telecommunications sector
- a state intervention in those areas where commercial providers acting alone will not provide this service
The government is in the final stages of appointing a company to build, maintain and operate a high speed broadband network in the state intervention area over a 25 year period.
The Programme for a Partnership Government committed to the establishment of a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce.
It aims to:
- identify solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits
- investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to full build and rollout of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention (NBP)
In December 2016, the Taskforce published a Report which outlined the issues considered by it. The report also set out tangible actions to alleviate barriers to mobile reception and broadband access. To monitor and drive progress, an Implementation Group has been meeting quarterly and publishing reports and implementation reviews. A Three Year Review will be published in 2020 which will set out the achievements of the Taskforce.
The Taskforce has delivered upon over 70 targeted actions spanning the telecoms sector, which have streamlined processes, influenced legislation, improved the consumer experience and removed barriers to investment in networks in both urban and rural areas. The government expects that the relationships and structures of collaboration established so far will be carried forward and strengthened as the Taskforce progresses in the future.
The Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) are State-owned telecoms networks which consist of carrier-neutral telecoms duct and fibre optic cable rings linking the main commercial and public buildings to "co-location centres". Telecommunications operators locate their equipment in these co-location centres and access the MANs network.
A total of 88 MANs covering 94 regional towns and cities were constructed under the MANs Programme. 28 MANs were completed under Phase I and 60 MANs (covering 66 towns) were completed under Phase II.
The MANs were co-financed by central government, local authorities and the EU's European Regional Development Fund. The MANs are independently managed, maintained and operated for the State by a Management Services Entity (MSE), enet.
Following an open tender process, enet was appointed in July 2004 to manage the Phase I MANs for a 15 year term. In July 2009, following a further open tender process, enet was awarded a 15 year contract to manage the 60 Phase II MANs. In order to provide certainty to the telecoms market, and to ensure the continued availability of the MANs infrastructure, the term of both MSE Contracts was extended to 2030.
