Source: Waterford Today
THE company charged with delivering the Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) is surveying parts of Waterford city and county.
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has identified what it calls an “intervention area” here where it aims to provide a fibre network to 15.000 premises .
The areas involved are Cheekpoint, Passage East, Kilmeaden, Dunmore East and parts of Waterford city.
NBI teams are walking the routes, documenting images and taking measurements for poles. cables and underground ducts.
The 15,000 premises in Waterford Intervention Area (IA), include homes, farms, commercial businesses and schools and comprise 24% of all premises in the county.
Under the NationalBroadband Pian. Waterford will set an investment of €59m in the new high speed fibre network. This will enable e-learning, remote monitoring of livestock or equipment,e-health initiatives, better energy efficiency in the home, and more remote working.
Phase One of the NBP sees the delivery of Broadband Connection Paints (BCPs). Nationwide, more than 60 of these sites are now ‘live’ and are providing free public access to high speed internet in their areas. They Include GAA clubs, community centres and tourist sites.
In Waterford, some BCPs are planned for Knockanore, Klilbrien and Ballysaggart Community centres,
These will pave the way for rural communities to receive the benefits of broadband, for mobile working, c-learning and mobile banking. A full list can be found at http:/bcp-map
Primary schools in the Intervention Area are also being connected as part of the NBP.
The first of these in Waterford are Faithlege, Fenor, and Ballycurrane National Schools.
NBI chief executive Peter Hendrick said the company was pleased with the progress.
“Survey designs are an important part of mapping out how every home and business will be connected, and these will provide the blueprint for how the NBP fibre is laid” he said.
All NBI contractors carry official ID.
