Esat BT announces the availability of IOL Broadband

Esat BT today announced the availability of IOL Broadband, a high speed, fixed cost broadband ADSL service for Irish home internet users with "always-on" access for €49.49 per month. It will be available from May.

Bill Murphy, chief executive of Esat BT said: "We are delighted after months of campaigning to now be in a position to fulfill our commitment to deliver affordable, broadband internet access to consumers.

"IOL Broadband will enable users to really experience the power of the internet, availing of such services as music on demand, video and online gaming, secure in the knowledge that access costs are fixed and completely within their control.”

IOL Broadband will be available to more than 700,000 telephone lines throughout Ireland. This figure is expected to rise to one million lines by December 2003.

Customers will be able to enjoy internet access up to ten times faster than a standard dial up telephone line.

They will also be able to keep their home telephone line free for incoming and outgoing calls while accessing the internet at the same time.