Mr. Coveney pointed out that no work as been done since the Minister toke office on the issue of Broadband.
- "A Policy Paper is being prepared on Broadband and Next Generation Networks" - introductory brief for incoming Minister Eamon Ryan, 15th June 2007.
- "I propose to issue a draft policy paper shortly on Next Generation Broadband" - Minister Eamon Ryan, 29th May 2008.
Mr. Coveney continued crticisim of the Minsters actions
The only concrete action the Minister has taken in this area since taking office has been to convene a forum of international experts in February to debate the Department's policy paper. Since then he has repeatedly promised that the paper would be published 'shortly' but it has not appeared. In the meantime he has pointed to the growth in Ireland's broadband numbers and made excuses such as 'it is a matter for the private sector'.
Damien Mulley has caught the Department out on lying to Prime Time about our national broadband scheme. Damien also has a post about business response and what they want.
FG is calling on the Government to do the follwing in relation to this area:
1. Mandate the Department of Communications to undertake a comprehensive audit of all ducting under both public and private ownership throughout the country. Based on this audit, a detailed plan of where ducting, especially between the exchange and the cabinet but also at backhaul level, is most needed.
2. Enter negotiations with all private owners of ducting for the purposes of securing open access to infrastructure, in an effort to try to create a web of open-access ducting throughout the country.
3. Tender for private sector interest in managing all State-owned ducting and coordinate with the regulator on the opening of access to privately-owned ducting. The contract will also provide for the management of roll-out of new ducting where appropriate. Funding for this will be provided from the ICT budget within the NDP.
4. The State should support high-speed wireless connectivity to areas too remote to justify ducting and fibre connections.
5. Revise the terms of the contracts for provision of broadband to extremely remote areas under the National Broadband Scheme, to require that this connectivity be of a high-bandwidth.
6. Pass legislation to require ducting to be installed to the home in all new housing and apartment developments under new building standards regulations.
7. Pass legislation to require ducting to be laid as part of all new road developments and maintenance.
8. Ensure that all infrastructure relating to roll-out of next generation access – at all parts of the network – be subject to fast-track planning rules.
9. Invite tenders for provision of wholesale high-bandwidth access to state bodies throughout the country, such as schools, third-level institutions, hospitals and departmental buildings.
10. The connection of Next Generation Access to all schools and educational institutions needs immediate priority in government planning.
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Links:
12 months in job and Minister has nothing done on next generation broadband – Coveney
Creating a Fibre Nation (PDF) - FG Policy
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