David Hurley, 14 Jun
IRELAND'S largest telecommunications provider, eir has announced that
an additional 1,187 homes and businesses across Limerick can access
gigabit fibre since the start of this year, according to new data from
its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband roll-out programme.
The fibre build project is already 72% complete in Limerick, with
59,859 homes and businesses now having access to high-speed fibre
connection, following investment of over €37 million into the Limerick
network.
On completion, the network will serve 83,000 premises across Limerick
city and county, facilitating broadband speeds up to 100 times faster
than a traditional copper network.
As well as faster speeds, eir’s full fibre network reduces
environmental impacts by reducing carbon emissions when compared to
copper networks.
Fibre technology is more resilient, requiring less repairs. With
improved energy efficiency, reduced power loss, lower infrastructure
requirements, reduced e-waste and a longer network lifespan. It is a
future-proofed network capable of delivering speeds of 10Gbps straight
to the customer’s home or business.
Nationwide, more than one million homes and businesses are now
fibre-enabled by eir, with the support of an ambitious investment
strategy that will see eir investing €2 billion in infrastructure by
the close of the rollout programme in 2026.
Commenting on the progress of the FTTH broadband roll-out programme,
Oliver Loomes, CEO, eir said: “Data for the first half of 2023 shows
we’re ahead of schedule in delivering high-speed broadband to 84% of
premises in Ireland by 2026. eir’s commitment to providing high-speed
connectivity is not only about opening up new opportunities for how we
live, work and connect, but also about making Ireland one of the best
countries in Europe for broadband speed and accessibility.
"eir’s fibre network is not only more sustainable and energy-efficient,
but also more resilient, reducing the need for repairs. We are proud to
be part of Ireland's journey towards becoming one of the best countries
in Europe for Gigabit Fibre broadband.”
The telecommunications company has invested over €1 billion in its
network and expects to spend €250 million per year until the end of
2026 in expansion, aiming to pass 1.9 million premises with FTTH
broadband by 2026, representing 84% of homes and businesses in the
country.