Eir rebuked over how it lets other operators use its infrastructure

A recent hearing of the Public Accounts Committee heard  the condition of Eircom’s existing infrastructure is adding to delays to the rollout of the National Broadband Plan.

Eircom has been told by regulator Comreg it hasn’t stuck to its obligations around how other operators can use its infrastructure to lay their own phone and broadband cables.

The communications regulator issued a notification of a finding of non-compliance in its probe into Eircom Ltd.

The matter related to “duct access”. Eircom uses underground ducts and overhead poles for its services. Other operators in the market can have their fibre cable carried in Eircom’s existing infrastructure to provide broadband for their customers.

Comreg said it examined the charges levied by Eircom for duct access and how it sticks to its relevant obligations. It found Eircom did not follow its obligations on price controls for such services and around transparency on the matter.

“Eircom has until 5pm on March 28, 2022, to make representations to Comreg in response to this finding,” the regulator added. Eircom’s network of ducts and poles are being used as part of the National Broadband Plan, which aims to connect over half a million premises to high-speed broadband.

At a recent hearing of the Public Accounts Committee, it heard the condition of this infrastructure is adding to delays to the rollout of the National Broadband Plan.

A senior Department of Communications official said extensive remediation has been required to this network and has been “greater than envisaged” when the contracts were signed.

Department secretary-general Mark Griffin, said: “Both Eir and NBI are addressing these issues, including the introduction by Eir at the end of last year of rapid response teams to support the timely remediation of network issues as they are identified.

Given the reliance on the Eir network, ongoing close collaboration between NBI and Eir is essential to the successful delivery of the project.” 

Peter Hendrick, chief executive of National Broadband Ireland, told the committee that further partnerships with Eir on the use of its ducts and poles would help speed up the process.

“Additionally, we are implementing a series of initiatives that lend confidence to the delivery of the 2022 programme and beyond, including, but not limited to, the fact we have contracted with Eir to increase the volume of pole replacement and duct insulation, which commenced on October 1, 2021," he said.

Eircom, which trades as Eir, also recently brought an appeal in the Commercial Court against a Comreg decision to set new rates for the wholesale prices it charges for its services.

This decision related to charges for calls, and Eircom claimed the changes set by Comreg would have a significant financial impact on the company and would “greatly exceed” €1m.