235,000 premises in 1,028 areas now have broadband access
Communications Minister Eamon Ryan today announced the successful delivery by 3 Ireland of the €223 million National Broadband Scheme. In two years, the Scheme has brought a broadband service to 1,028 areas where previously coverage was deemed to be insufficient.
Ireland is one of the first countries in the world to deliver such a scheme on a national basis and has met the EU target for broadband availability, two years in advance.
A service with a minimum download speed of 1.6Mbps and maximum of 6.8Mbps with a contention ratio of 22:1 has been made available for 235,000 premises across every county in Ireland, creating 170 jobs in the process. Built into the contract is a provision that speeds will be increased to a maximum of 10 Mbps by October 2012.
“This is the most significant milestone in Ireland’s broadband story,” said Minister Ryan. “Two years ago, I committed that the Government would deliver broadband to every district in the country. I am pleased to announce today that we have succeeded in our plans.
We now have a platform for future advances. Broadband has been successfully delivered to all NBS areas. We are now at over 99% coverage for the whole country. I will announce a new Rural Broadband Scheme in the New Year which will ensure that we get to the remainder – less than 1%.
This is truly ‘access all areas for broadband’. Now that we have this base, there is no limit to the possibilities.”
Robert Finnegan, CEO 3 said: “3’s high quality broadband offering will have enormous benefits for rural homes and businesses throughout the country.
Working from the home can become a reality for many and online banking; shopping and education will become the norm at last in these remote areas. A further bonus for people in NBS areas is that they can use their 3 broadband services on the move as well as in their household.”
A recent study carried out by economist Jim Power shows that the spin-off benefits of widespread broadband access can be significant in regional areas. It estimates that in Donegal, the Scheme will deliver €25 m to the local economy, in Galway €53 m, €40 m in Kerry and €26.9 m in Mayo.
According to Máire Ui Mhaoláin of Comhar na nOileán, the Aran Islands-based development body with responsibility for allocating funding to local businesses, broadband connectivity has given a huge economic boost to the area, “There has been a great response from users, both individuals and businesses. We have seen a surge in applications for website development grants from local businesses, keen to get online.”
Andrew Butler who is an IT expert and member of the Rural Resource Centre in Ballymacarbry, Co Waterford said, “People are enjoying a service that could not be provided with the old dial-up connection. This is a low cost system that suits areas of low population density. People of all ages are now doing courses, availing of the 10 computers in our resource centre. All this gives people more confidence and they feel less alienated from the world. Some people living in very remote areas right in the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains no longer feel as isolated as they once were”.
The National Broadband Scheme is co-funded by the Exchequer, the EU and 3 Ireland. The Department of Communications will monitor the scheme on a monthly basis until 2014.
ENDS
Note to editors:
Further detail of the scheme is available at http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/ and www.three.ie/nbs including national and county-by-county coverage maps.
Rural Broadband Scheme: Despite Government and private investment in broadband there continues to be a small percentage of premises throughout the country that will not be capable of receiving broadband services. This is primarily due to technical and other reasons (suitability of a telephone line, distance from an enabled exchange, no line of sight etc.). For this reason the Minister will announce a further initiative (Rural Broadband Scheme) in the coming weeks aimed at targeting this small number of individual rural un-served premises.
Contacts:
DCENR Press Office 01 678 2441 / Brid McGrath 087 7708631