Irish broadband talks drag on as UK ups spend

Eir says it will invest €200m in the next two years to equip 300,000 rural homes with broadband, irrespective of whether it wins the contract to be the Government-subsidised National Broadband Plan provider next year.

It comes as the UK yesterday announced a further multimillion-pound spend to ensure rural areas in Britain tap into high-speed broadband.

Negotiations are ongoing as to who wins the contract to be the National Broadband Plan provider with three bidders in the running: Eir, enet, and Siro, a joint venture between Vodafone and the ESB.