ESB and Vodafone today announced a new joint venture which will see them invest €450m in building a 100% fibre broadband network across Ireland.
The new network will offer speeds of 200mpbs to 1,000mpbs, propelling Ireland into the ranks of the world’s fastest broadband countries.
Dundalk and Drogheda are amongst 50 towns set to benefit from the new roll out first of all, with 500,000 premises across the country set to benefit initially.
Roll-out is expected to take place in the coming months subject to European Commission approval, with the first customers set to avail of the new high speeds from the start of next year.
The fibre will be deployed on ESB’s existing overhead and underground infrastructure, ensuring a fast and cost efficient roll-out to every county in Ireland and reversing the digital divide between the capital and regional towns.
Unfortunately it won’t be available in towns with less than 4,000 premises so rural areas are unlikely to benefit.
At the launch it was revealed that 43% of broadband in Ireland today has speeds of less than 10mbps. At present the fastest broadband available in Dundalk is Eircom’s efibre, which only operates at “up to” 100mpbs – something few actually ever experience.
Talk of the Town 