One of the three groups bidding for the National Broadband Plan has accused the ESB of stonewalling requests for access to its infrastructure.

The Enet consortium, which is backed by US telecoms group Granahan McCourt, claimed the State utility has refused to deal with "numerous requests" for access to electricity pylons in north Kerry. The telco wants to use the pylons to roll out its fibre broadband product.

Under the EU’s shared utilities directive, infrastructural companies such as the ESB are obliged to open up their networks to other operators for strategic telecommunications projects.

Granahan McCourt founder David McCourt claims the ESB had failed to comply with requests for access, suggesting the energy company was “avoiding the issue”.

The ESB, which is indirectly competing with Enet for the broadband contract through Siro (its joint venture with Vodafone), said it would not be appropriate to comment on specific requests for access to its infrastructure .

Legal obligations

“ESB has previously stated publicly that any such requests will be considered in accordance with any applicable legal obligations and that remains the case,” it said.

The ESB’s network is more extensive than other existing telecommunications infrastructure as the company can legally erect poles on private lands, albeit under agreed commercial terms.

Hanging additional wires from ESB poles may necessitate upgrades, however, and a question then arises as to who pays the associated costs.

“In relation to the National Broadband Plan (NBP), ESB has informed potential bidders that it is considering complex issues associated with any use of its electricity network for NBP purposes, including issues related to costs, technical, operational and safety matters,” the ESB said, noting it was currently consulting with third parties, including regulatory authorities, about these issues.

Fields vs roads

Earlier this year, the State’s largest telco, Eir, also complained about not being able to use the ESB’s network to roll out its broadband product despite requests.

Access to the ESB’s network would mean a significant cost-saving for Eir and Enet as the network traverses fields instead of following the more circuitous road network.

Enet said it had already been granted access to Eir’s infrastructure in the north Kerry area.

“To facilitate Enet’s fibre-to-the-home deployment in north Kerry, Enet asked for and was granted access to Open Eir’s passive infrastructure – namely poles and ducts in the area in question,” it said.

“Literally hundreds of poles fell into this ask and Enet is now up on all of them now – and this access helped enable the rollout,” it said.