Minister Ryan announces telecoms connectivity project to connect Ireland US and Europe

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan, T.D., today announced that his Department, in collaboration with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Northern Ireland, has finalised the tender for “Project Kelvin” which will procure direct international telecommunications connectivity to the North West of the island of Ireland. With an estimated cost of €30 million in Interreg Cross Border funding, the project will provide international connectivity between the island of Ireland and North America, as well as between mainland Europe and the North West of Ireland.

As part of the project , it is proposed that a telehouse facility will be constructed in Derry, directly linking to the areas of Letterkenny and Monaghan, which will in turn provide overall national connectivity to the facility.

Minister Ryan, announcing the Project, stated:

“I am delighted that this procurement process is about to commence. We must enhance Ireland’s position in the global digital economy and this project will be necessary to guarantee our competitiveness. In 2025, 70% of Ireland’s exports will consist of digitally traded services.

It is crucial that we act now to ensure we have the interconnectivity to allow us take advantage of the opportunities that are emerging. Enhancing our international connectivity is one of the elements of the recently announced Next Generation Broadband paper.

Irish industry is already internationally renowned, but this Project will allow our companies to advance and to be real players an international stage. Project Kelvin will not only encourage investment in our economy, but it will also strengthen our international position.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The recently published consultation paper on Next Generation Broadband contained the following ten Government commitments:

1. Government will target capital investment of €435m to address the digital divide
2. Universal broadband coverage in Ireland by late 2009 / early 2010
3. 100 Mbits per second broadband connectivity to be introduced to secondary schools on a phased basis
4. Future investment will be determined in accordance with value for money review of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)
5. Ensure Ireland’s continued high level of international connectivity
6. Major public infrastructure projects will have to install ducting at the construction phase. Government will establish a one stop shop to provide service providers with flexible and open access to existing and future ducting infrastructure
7. New premises will be required to install open access fibre connections where practicable
8. Maintenance of the regulatory framework necessary for fair and transparent competition across a range of platforms. Allocation of spectrum to encourage trialling and development of flexible new mobile technologies
9. Use of Government purchasing power in order to stimulate demand, create economies of scale and better public services
10. Establishment of a specialised research programme to monitor developments

DETI and DCENR are the joint partners for Project Kelvin and DETI will oversee the project on behalf of both Departments. The project aims to increase competition in the telecommunications market in the North-South Cross Border INTERREG area and reduce the cost of telecommunications between North American and European telecommunications hubs and the North West. Project Kelvin will increase the resilience of the telecommunication networks in the INTERREG region and the island of Ireland and will reduce communications latency on telecommunications between the North West of Ireland, North America and Mainland Europe The project will be implemented over the years 2009-2011 and is being procured by the Open Procedure in compliance with EU Directives. A Contract Notice inviting Tenders for the present competition for the Provision of International Telecommunications Services (Project Kelvin) has been dispatched to the Official Journal of the European Union.

DETI and the DCENR are supported in this work by a grant from the EU INTERREG IVA Programme for Ireland, Northern Ireland and Western Scotland 2007-2013.