The ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Act 2014 (the
Act) empowers the ESB – either on its own or
acting with another company - to, inter alia, engage in all
or any of the following businesses: (a) development of electronic
communications networks (ECN) and electronic
communications services (ECS) infrastructure; (b)
leasing, licensing, selling, providing, making use of etc any
service in connection with ECN and ECS infrastructure; and (c) ECN
or ECS (or both) on a wholesale or retail basis. In so doing, the
ESB may provide any company with access to the ESB's
electricity infrastructure to enable that company to develop ECN
and ECS and/or associated services.
The legislation follows on from the ESB's tender for a JV
partner for the roll-out of a new €400 million fibre broadband
network as part of the ESB's fibre-to-the-home project.
Recent press reports indicate that the ESB has entered exclusive
negotiations with Vodafone Ireland as its commercial JV
partner.
Speaking at the end of April about the future roll-out of fibre
broadband in Ireland, the Minister for Communications, Pat Rabitte,
confirmed that a new joint venture was being set up between the ESB
and Vodafone. According to press reports, Mr Rabitte confirmed that the
JV would "see the ESB's existing infrastructure of poles
and pylons used to carry high-speed broadband into 450,000 homes in
areas where it is now unavailable", and that "details of
the new partnership between Vodafone and the ESB would be ironed
out "in the next few weeks", after which a new company
would be established.
In terms of the Government's wider plans for the roll-out of
high speed broadband to rural Ireland, the Minister confirmed his department has Cabinet
sign-off on a €512m plan. The plan is intended to
ensure 1,100 villages which are located in areas where commercial
roll-out (ie by private sector operators) is not considered viable
will be connected to future-proofed fibre networks.
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