AQW 2032/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 23/06/2022
Answered On Date: 04/07/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Assembly Commission why the Wi-Fi in Parliament Buildings has limited speed and connectivity.

Answer:

Due in part to the greater demand for video conferencing by Members and staff as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Information Systems (IS) Office has identified deficiencies in the current Wi-Fi service, both in terms of signal availability in certain areas of Parliament Buildings and in the reliability of Wi-Fi connections to sustain high bandwidth applications. IS Office accepts that the system cannot cope reliably with these increased demands.

The Assembly Commission has agreed to replace the Wi-Fi network infrastructure, which will include a dedicated internet connection. This project will be completed in the current financial year.

Pending the replacement of the Wi-Fi network, the IS Office has reissued written advice to Members on how best to manage Wi-Fi connections on mobile devices when in Parliament Buildings.

Should Members experience any difficulty with Wi-Fi access or performance in Parliament Buildings they should contact the IS Office Service Desk at the relevant time. The IS Office will continue to monitor the current Wi-Fi service in Parliament Buildings and will respond appropriately to any specific issues as they arise.