Broadband plan surveying in Killarney area

NATIONAL Broadband Ireland contractors are currently on the ground in townlands around Killarney as surveying for the roll-out of the controversial National Broadband Plan continues around the country.

The plan is capped at €3bn and will see more than 140,000km of fibre cable rolled out nationwide to connect more than half a million premises to high-speed broadband.

To those who believe in it, it’s touted as the most ground-breaking advance for rural Ireland since rural electrification; its detractors worry that its cost will far outweigh its benefits.

NBI, the company working alongside the Government to deliver the plan, has been surveying townlands around the country since January, including Tralee, Abbeydorney, Ardfert, Castlemaine, Curraheen, Firies, and Kilflynn.

These works include route walks; and documenting and measuring of poles, cables, and underground ducts, in order to help draw up design solutions of the roll-out of the fibre network in Intervention Areas (IAs), NBI has explained this week.

These IAs are areas identified by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) as not having adequate broadband services.

Surveying is now ongoing in Ballycasheen, Ballyhar, Faha, Fossa, Firies, Kilcummin, Lissivigeen, Muckross, NBI has told The Kerryman.

In total, almost 27,000 premises in Kerry are in IAs, and €107m will be invested in high-speed fibre broadband in the county as part of the national plan.

The first Kerry homes will be connected next year, NBI has said, with the Tralee area among the locations nationwide down for connection in early 2021.

“We started physical work on the ground in January, and I am delighted to report that this is going very well,” said NBI Chief Executive Peter Hendrick.

“We are acutely aware that people want access to high speed broadband as soon as possible, and our goal is to deliver that.”