National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on behalf of the Government, has announced that the first premises in County Roscommon have been successfully connected.
Up to 19,185 premises in County Roscommon are included in the State’s Intervention Area, which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms and schools. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, the County will receive €76m of Government investment under the NBP.
As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers or Retail Service Providers (RSPs). As a wholesale provider, NBI will make the new Fibre-to-the-Home network available to all RSPs operating in the Intervention Area.
Some 50 RSPs have already signed up to sell services on the NBI network and 34 are certified as ready to start providing connections as of today. To see the retail broadband providers that are currently licensed to sell on the NBI™ network, visit NBI.ie/buy.
Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer of National Broadband Ireland, said: “National Broadband Ireland is delighted to be able to say that we have now commenced our first connections in County Roscommon, which will enable users to experience the life-changing benefits that high-speed broadband provides. This is a key milestone for this intervention area.”
“As an increasing number of homes and businesses are being connected, we are confident that the rollout will continue to gather pace as we look to connect thousands more homes and businesses. We are acutely aware that people want access to high-speed broadband and our goal is to deliver that as quickly as possible.”
Denis Naughten, Independent T.D., Roscommon–Galway constituency said: “I welcome today’s milestone of the first connected premise in Roscommon, this is a key development for the digital footprint of the county. The National Broadband Plan is a vital project to rural Ireland, and the first connection to the National Broadband Ireland network is a important step towards ensuring that communities, homes, schools and businesses in County Roscommon and across rural Ireland have access to high-speed broadband.”
John Freeman, Roscommon County Council Broadband Officer said: “The new connection to high-speed fibre broadband under the National Broadband Plan is going to bring incredible benefits to the people of Roscommon. Previously people living in the county would have experienced slow and broken internet connection, however today’s announcement will make that a thing of the past.”
Gerry Gordon, owner of Autopia Ltd in Mount Prospect Roscommon, one of the first customers connected to the NBI network in Roscommon, said: “The new connection to high-speed fibre broadband under the National Broadband Plan is going to bring incredible benefits to our home and our business. We’re already seeing a huge difference. Previously we experienced slow and broken internet connection.”
NBI contractors have been on the ground since January 2020 surveying townlands across the county. This involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area, and enables design solutions for the provision of the fibre network.
Under the National Broadband Plan, 554,000 premises nationwide are included in the Intervention Area, which was established by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to identify areas where commercial operators are not currently providing access to high-speed broadband or do not intend to.
Broadband Connection Points (BCPs)
In advance of the Fibre-to-the-Home roll out, the NBP provides for the delivery of Broadband Connection Points (BCP’s) nationwide. 449 of these sites are now ‘live’ and have both internal and external broadband access. These facilities – which include sports clubs, community centres and tourist sites – will provide free public access to high-speed internet in the rollout area.
These BCP’s will pave the way for rural communities to receive the benefits of broadband, from mobile working, e-learning and mobile banking, to digital tourism. You can view BCPs at /bcp-map/. An example of some of the locations of Broadband Connection Points in Roscommon that are connected are Kiltoom Parish Hall, Marian Hall Community Centre, Tawntaskin Community Centre, Cam Community Centre, Tulsk Digi Hub, Saint Patrick’s Hall, Dangan Community Centre, Creeve Community Centre. Primary schools in the Intervention Area are also being connected for educational access as part of the NBP.
Keep up to Speed!
NBI is encouraging people to check their eligibility and register for updates at www.nbi.ie to receive regular notifications related to their own premises as works progresses in their area.
Pictured:
L-R: Paul Cullen, CTO of Eurona, Retail Service Provider of local fibre connections, Denis Naughten TD for Roscommon-Galway, John Freeman, Roscommon County Council Broadband Officer and Peter Hendrick, CEO of National Broadband Ireland meet local residents in Mount Prospect, Roscommon, Gerry Gordon (centre front) and wife Rachael Gordon (centre back) to discuss their new high-speed fibre connection.
