Digital Infrastructure
COMREG UPDATES
Sky pleads guilty to four counts of breach of porting requirements
Regulation 25(4) of the Universal Service Regulations pertains to the process of porting phone numbers between service providers, that is where a user switches network provider and maintains the same number. Network providers are required to carry out the switch promptly and avoid leaving the user without service for longer than one working day. After investigating the matter, ComReg initiated court proceedings against Sky. Sky has pleaded guilty to four counts and was required to make a charitable donation of €5,000 and a contribution to ComReg’s costs. Read the full report here.
Meteor to refund over €700,000 for out-of-bundle data charges
ComReg notified Meteor of non-compliance with its obligations under the Universal Service Regulations. Meteor failed to provide clear and comprehensive pricing and tariff information to customers regarding data coverage and applicable charges. Having assessed Meteor’s representations, ComReg concluded the non-compliance to be ongoing. Meteor has taken remedial steps and entered into a settlement agreement with ComReg, agreeing to refund approximately 55,000 affected customers with out-of-bundle data charges amounting to at least €722,760. Active customers will receive credits, while former customers will be refunded. Read the full report here.
ComReg publish 3.6 GHz spectrum Band Transition Progress Report
The Report sets out an update on the progress of existing licensees and winning bidders from the spectrum auction. ComReg notes that, while the transition has been slower than reasonably anticipated in some areas, a substantial amount of the spectrum in the award is available and being deployed in the provision of services such as higher speed fixed wireless access and 5G services. Read the full report here.
Eircom to refund customers for overcharging, pay ComReg penalty of €2.45 million and make changes to billing practices
On 15 November 2022, ComReg applied to the High Court for a restraining order against Eircom requiring it to cease contravening section 45 of the Communications Regulation Act 2022, which relates to overcharging of customers. This follows a series of enforcement actions taken by ComReg against Eircom, which has resulted in Eircom being convicted of 26 breaches of section 45 since 2015, and two ComReg investigations into further instances of overcharging by Eircom, which formed part of the court proceedings. The hearing was fixed in the High Court on 25 April 2023, but the parties settled the proceedings, with Eircom making commitments to pay the above financial penalty, retrospectively refund customers who were historically overcharged and improve its billing practices going forward. Read the full report here.
INDUSTRY NEWS
ESB Networks deploys national 4G/LTE Private Mobile Network in Ireland
ESB Networks has awarded a contract to Sigma Wireless and Nokia for the supply and installation of a new LTE-based private wireless system over a three-year period, with the network expected to be live from Q4 2023. This follows from a 2019 decision by ComReg to award a 15-year licence for radio spectrum to ESB Networks. Read the press release here.