Eir high-speed broadband for 100,000 homes in next year
The move is part of the company’s commitment to extend high-speed broadband of up to 1,000 Mb/s to a further 300,000 homes and businesses to reach a total of 1.9m premises by the end of 2020.
Some 1.4m homes and businesses can already access high-speed broadband and the company said it remains on target to reach 1.7m premises by this time next year.
Eir said preparation work is already under way in some parts of the country with tree trimming now complete in a number of locations.
This will clear the way for spans of new fibre cables to be installed alongside the existing roadside telecommunications infrastructure.
The first locations to be reached as part of the rural 300,000 roll out are: Carlow (690), Cavan (1,950), Clare (1,330), Cork (5,440), Donegal (14,240), Dublin (3,630), Galway (12,900), Kerry (8,010), Kildare (4,200), Kilkenny (1,860), and Laois (1,090).
Also among the first are Leitrim (710), Limerick (4,130), Longford (930), Louth (7,570), Mayo (2,470), Meath (7,410), Monaghan (1,330), Offaly (1,560), Roscommon (2,040), Sligo (2,940), Waterford (3,190), Westmeath (3,410), Wexford (9,540), Tipperary (2,070), and Wicklow (2,160).
In Cork, the areas that will be serviced as part of the plan include Cobh (420), Midleton (530), Youghal (330), Blarney (510), Carrigtwohill (460), Crosshaven (140), Ringaskiddy (160), Macroom West (130), Whitegate (840), Ballyclough (510), Kildorrery (660), Ballincollig (450), Carrigaline (300).
In Kerry, which is one of the poorest regions in the country in terms of broadband accessibility, areas like Killorglin (970), Killarney (820), Ballyspillane (400), Dingle (290), Anablaha (430), Glenbeigh (610), Lixnaw (500), Abbeydorney (620), Ardfert (670), Annascaul (510), Caragh Lake (690), Headford (740) and Tralee (760) are all included as part of the rollout.
Managing director of Open Eir, Carolan Lennon, said that the announcement was a testament to Eir’s commitment to the needs of rural Ireland.
“We are the only provider with a truly national plan to connect rural communities across Ireland to high-speed broadband.
“We already provide the fastest broadband speeds in the country and we are now extending those speeds beyond the town.
“Last June, we committed to extend the reach of our commercial rollout as far as possible,” she said.
“Our announcement is testament to our ongoing support of the economic recovery and rejuvenation of rural Ireland using best in class technology,” she said.
Separately, Eir announced it is now accepting online applications for its apprentice recruitment programme.
Now in its second year, the programme is open to candidates who have passed their Leaving Certificate and who would like to work on the roll-out of the high speed national fibre network.
Selected candidates will start work from July and the training programme will run for two years.
Eir’s human resources chief officer, Orla Coughlan, said successful applicants will receive training and will be taught a range of skills to help build and maintain the fibre network right across the country.
“The apprentice roles provide a really exciting opportunity to work in a dynamic fast-paced environment on a critical infrastructure programme.
“The jobs will be based across Ireland and we have been very clear to date on our determination to support rural employment by hiring people from their local communities,”Ms Coughlan said.
