1 in 3 mobile phone users affected by signal disruptions during Storm Éowyn

Mr O’Donovan, Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, met with senior managers in the country’s mobile phone and broadband operators as well as representatives from Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII). File Picture

Storm Éowyn’s battering of mobile phone networks affected, at its height, more than a third of mobile phone users, according to the Government.

In addition, one in ten landline phone services were cut during the peak of the storm, which the telecommunications regulator, ComReg, said was the worst in its 13-year history.

In a meeting with Communications Minister Patrick O’Donovan, telecommunication operators expressed their gratitude at the delivery of 10 power generators supplied by the European Commission.

These generators were among 12 loaned by a dedicated EU fund and transported from Poland to Ireland – two large generators by the Romanian Air Force and ten smaller generators flown by brokers contracted by the European Commission.

Denmark provided four additional generators and Luxembourg one.

Mr O’Donovan, Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, met with senior managers in the country’s mobile phone and broadband operators as well as representatives from Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII).

A statement from his department said: “The estimated effect of Storm Éowyn on the national telecommunications userbase was the largest in ComReg’s recording history. Peak loss of fixed services was 10% of users without service. Peak impact to mobile service was 35% of users experiencing some level of degradation.” 

It said repair and restoration work “has returned services to all mobile customers” and that most fixed service customers and the majority of fixed operator networks have been restored.

It said repair and restoration of fibre networks is ongoing in certain areas where the storm did significant damage.

The statement said telecommunications operators expressed their gratitude for the support provided to the industry by the Government and the National Emergency Coordination Group – including the provision of 10 generators by Poland following Ireland’s activation of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

“These generators were used to provide mobile services to citizens in some of the worst hit areas in the west of Ireland,” it said.

Speaking after the meeting, Minister O’Donovan said: “My Department will work with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and telecommunications operators to improve our response to significant weather events and increase resilience on the networks.” 

The minister has requested written proposals from operators for improving their network resilience and storm response processes within two weeks.

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