The telecommunications regulator has dismissed TDs' claims about a growing number of dropped calls and blackspots in mobile phone coverage.
All four mobile phone operators currently provided the levels of coverage required by their licences, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications heard today.
Tests carried out by ComReg did not show any deterioration in the quality of the service, George Merrigan, market framework director with the regulator, told the committee.
Members of the committee had earlier complained about the quality of mobile phone coverage in their respective areas. Donegal TD Joe McHugh, Fine Gael, said consumers were frustrated with an "endless list" of blackspots in coverage, and he cited examples in 12 counties.
Mr McHugh claimed people were texting more because they were terrified their calls would drop when making business contacts.
Independent senator Joe O'Toole said his mobile didn't work in his house in north county Dublin and he regularly dropped calls during his commute into Leinster House.
Senator Maria Corrigan of Fianna Fáil said there was anecdotal evidence of the widespread dropping of calls during busy periods such as Friday afternoons. Her party colleague, Sligo TD Jimmy Devins, said the number of blackspots was increasing, as was the frequency of their occurrence.
Mr Merrigan said there was no legal requirement for universal mobile service, such as applied to the fixed-line service. Mobile phone companies were commercial services and they were not obliged to provide universal coverage.
He set out the legal requirements for the minimum coverage to be provided by each company; for 3G phones, these are 83 per cent for Meteor, 90.2 per cent or O2, 85 per cent for 3, and 85 per cent for Vodafone. Coverage is measured as a percentage of the population, and ComReg carried out 1 million tests a year by engaging consultants to drive the main primary routes around the country to test coverage.
Mr McHugh said this was a ridiculous way of measuring coverage, and suggested ComReg switch instead to measuring coverage by geographical area. Two-thirds of his county, Donegal, would not be covered by this method. Operators should have to provide maps showing where they gave no coverage, he added.
Mr Merrigan said ComReg could consider expanding the area covered by the tests but at a cost.