Rural Broadband Scheme - Final Update December 2012
The Application Phase of the RBS closed on 29 July 2011. The Department received 5,000 applications and of these, approximately 3,700 qualified under the terms of the scheme.
The details of applicants were passed to participating companies and the companies responded to DCENR indicating where they may be able to offer services. A total of 29 companies participated in this part of the Scheme and the names of the companies and the areas where they operate can be found here. This process indicated that all applicants would get at least one offer of service.
Letters were sent to all applicants to let them know the position in relation to their application during February and March last and a total of 2011 applicants responded giving their consent to receive written offers of service from the participating companies.
Data files with the details of applicants who gave their consent to be contacted by participating companies were passed to the companies involved and letters with offers of service were sent to all applicants.
The companies involved sought to provide services to applicants over the period April to the end of July 2012. The Department has gathered data from the companies concerned giving the result of this exercise.
Outcome of Scheme
Out of a total of 2011 applicants to whom offers were made, 509 applicants took up a service from ISPs participating in the Scheme. A very small number of applicants (4 in total) were unable to obtain a service through the Scheme and these locations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
The following table gives an overall picture of the number of applications in the Scheme at county level and the number of applicants in each county who took up a service with participating ISPs.
Applications per County
|
County |
Consent to Receive Offers |
Accepted Offer of Service |
|
Carlow |
21 |
7 |
|
Cavan |
45 |
11 |
|
Clare |
115 |
30 |
|
Cork |
146 |
44 |
|
Donegal |
151 |
56 |
|
Dublin |
46 |
9 |
|
Galway |
96 |
22 |
|
Kerry |
67 |
25 |
|
Kildare |
87 |
26 |
|
Kilkenny |
40 |
15 |
|
Laois |
70 |
22 |
|
Leitrim |
56 |
13 |
|
Limerick |
37 |
9 |
|
Longford |
81 |
17 |
|
Louth |
37 |
5 |
|
Mayo |
49 |
13 |
|
Meath |
97 |
18 |
|
Monaghan |
119 |
25 |
|
Offaly |
135 |
25 |
|
Roscommon |
57 |
8 |
|
Sligo |
42 |
12 |
|
Tipperary |
186 |
42 |
|
Waterford |
33 |
8 |
|
Westmeath |
102 |
16 |
|
Wexford |
67 |
21 |
|
Wicklow |
29 |
10 |
|
Overall |
2011 |
509 |
As Internet Service Providers participating in the Scheme offered services to applicants without the need for subsidy, it is not necessary to procure a service provider for the Scheme. There has been no disbursement of public money for the provision of services on the Scheme.
Rural Broadband Scheme - Background
The Rural Broadband Scheme was established to enable a basic broadband service to be provided to individual rural premises which were not capable of obtaining a broadband service from existing internet service providers.
The Scheme was set up in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture as a measure under the Rural Development Plan.
Areas covered by the Rural Broadband Scheme
Press Releases
Rural Broadband Scheme announced by Minister Rabbitte 9/5/2011.doc
Rural Broadband Scheme Progress Update 08/07/2011
