Govt to examine each and every community to determine future broadband needs – Mulherin

Fine Gael Mayo Deputy, Michelle Mulherin, has welcomed plans by the Government to examine each and every community in the State to determine whether it is being served with high broadband speeds or if State intervention is needed to deliver the speeds required by the National Broadband Plan.

The Nationwide Broadband Mapping Plan will identify where advanced broadband services are already in place and where plans exist to deliver such services over the next three years.

“The commitment was given in the Programme for Government to deliver next generation broadband to every home and business in the State. The National Broadband Plan commits to delivering broadband speeds of a minimum of 30Mbps through a combination of public and private investment.

“A national mapping exercise of this nature will examine every community, identifying the roads and streets that are served with high broadband speeds by private operators. By doing this we will be able to detect the areas where State intervention is needed to bring broadband speeds up to an acceptable level.

“In this age of technology, broadband connectivity is as critical for families who wish to stay in touch with relatives overseas as it is for businesses who wish to grow their market share by trading online. In rural areas such as Mayo where currently access to broadband and the internet is very poor or non-existent , it is even more important that online access is secured for homes and businesses to ensure that the more rural countries are not at a disadvantage and are on an even keel compared to the rest of the country.

“By carrying out a nationwide mapping exercise, we will be better able to understand what level of broadband connectivity is available throughout the State and, working with telecom companies, we will be able to ascertain what infrastructure is in place and to what extent it is delivering for local communities. As there continues to be budgetary constraints, it is important that local companies assist the Government in its endeavours so that the best use of public money can be made and we can get on with the job of providing adequate broadband speeds where they are currently lacking.”

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