Rural Cork among first to be connected with new high speed broadband

AREAS of rural County Cork are set to be the first to be connected to high-speed internet under the Government’s National Broadband plan.

While in a major boost for end-users as National Broadband Ireland (NBI) unveils speeds more than three times faster than originally planned.

This will mean the entry-level broadband service for 540,000 disadvantaged rural homes at 500Mbps will be much faster than most citybased cable or ‘ high speed’ internet customers.

The plan sets out to deliver the high-speed connections to some 54,000 farms in the coming years with the new network set connect 1.1 million rural people once completed.

The service is expected to be priced at around €40 per month. NBI will be a wholesale provider, meaning the packages will be sold by retailers, including operators currently selling other internet packages.

In the six months to-date since work commenced, NBI has mobilised its team to work across 17 counties nationwide with survey work completed for over 63,000 premises. Build work for the new fibre network is due to commence in parts of Cork and Cavan by the end of this month, and shortly after that, in townlands in Galway.

Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport Eamon Ryan has said that by the end of next year, NBI plans to pass in the region of 115,000 premises, with 70,000 - 100,000 passed each year thereafter until rollout is completed.

“All counties will see premises passed in the first two years and over 90pc of premises in the State will have access to high speed broadband within the next four years,” he said.

NBI Chief Executive Officer Peter Hendrick said that the huge increase in minimum download speeds that will now be delivered under the NBP is fantastic news for those living in the Intervention Area.

“At NBI we realise the vital importance of building a network that not only caters for today’s demands, but future-proofs for generations to come. Our promise is to continue to build a limitless Ireland with reliable, future-proofed superfast broadband.”