National Broadband Scheme now with 99% coverage

Broadband is now available in every district in Ireland.

The €223m National Broadband Scheme means 99% coverage around country.

A service with a minimum download speed of 1.6Mbps and maximum of 14.4Mbps has been made available for 235,000 premises across every county in Ireland, creating 170 jobs in the process.

Built into the contract is a provision that speeds will be increased to a maximum of 10 Mbps in the next two years. Broadband provider 3 has indicated that speeds of 40 Mbps are achievable by end 2011.

Ireland is one of the first countries in the world to deliver such a scheme on a national basis and has now met the EU target for broadband availability.

“This is the most significant milestone in Ireland’s broadband story,” said Communications Minister Eamon Ryan.

“Two years ago, I committed that the Government would deliver broadband to every district in the country that was without a service. I am pleased to announce today that we have succeeded in our plans.

“We now have a platform for future advances. Broadband has been successfully delivered to all NBS areas. We are now at over 99% coverage for the whole country. I will announce a new Rural Broadband Scheme in the New Year which will ensure that we get to the remainder – less than 1%.

“This is truly ‘access all areas for broadband’. Now that we have this base, there is no limit to the possibilities.”