Imagine creates 200 jobs for broadband rollout

UP to 200 jobs are to be created by Imagine Communications group as it spends €100 million rolling out, what it claims, will be the country’s fastest, most affordable and highest quality broadband technology.

Imagine says its 4G WiMax network will provide high-speed internet and phone access both at home and on the move for half the price of existing services. It claims the speed of the connection will be eight times faster than the existing technology, for example allowing customers to download a movie in three minutes.

The company says its service is already in operation, and phase one of a roll-out covering 250,000 in 26 areas including Dublin, Wexford, Sligo, Tralee and Athlone will be completed by mid-November 2009. After that it intends to role out the technology in 15 locations per month and to have 90% of the country covered by 2012.

“In bypassing the existing Eircom infrastructure, consumers and businesses will no longer have to incur expensive line rental charges,” a spokesman said. “Eircom’s line rental is the highest in Europe and Imagine WiMax customers will automatically save up to €300 a year on top of benefiting from lower broadband and phone bills. This initiative will reduce the average cost of broadband and phone services by as much as 50%.”

Jim O’Hara, general manager of Intel Ireland, said WiMax was a “game-changing technology”.

“Many people in the country are operating on a 1Mbps speed at the moment, even if they think they are paying for higher. WiMax is easily achieving 8Mbps, and this will be increased,” he said adding that Intel would provide WiMax embedded laptops and PCs in 2010.

Its creators claim WiMax will be able to deliver capacity of up to 40Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access applications. It is currently being rolled out in the US and is supported by Google, Intel, Comcast and Time Warner. There were 475 WiMax networks deployed in 140 countries as of April 2009 and more than 50 million users are expected by 2014.

Launching the technology yesterday, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the network represents another important foundation in the development of the smart economy which he claimed will bring about economic renewal.

“The smart economy is about nurturing the products and services of tomorrow and providing sustainable jobs for our citizens,” he said. “WiMax is of particular importance and it ensures Ireland will have the necessary connectivity to successfully compete as a trading digital economy. It is a great vote of confidence in Irish business and our people. Moreover, it’s an Irish company founded and run by Irish entrepreneurs, spearheading the drive to move Ireland to the top of international broadband rankings.”