ESB and Vodafone confirmed today a €450 million investment to build a fibre-to-the-building broadband network offering speeds from 200Mb/s to 1Gb/s.
Under the deal Ireland will become the first country in Europe to use existing electricity infrastructure on a nationwide basis to deploy fibre directly into homes and businesses, initially reaching 500,000 premises in 50 towns. Some 60 jobs will be created in a joint venture company to manage the project.
Fibre-to-the-building is a superior technology to the fibre-to-the-cabinet technology used by many providers as it does not rely on copper connections to get from a cabinet to the building.
Subject to European Commission approval, the joint venture will begin rolling-out the new network across Ireland in the coming months, with the first customers able to avail the service from the start of 2015. The initial phase of the project is expected to be fully rolled-out by the end of 2018, with scope for a second phase thereafter.
While the ESB and Vodafone joint venture will build and manage the network, open access will be offered to all telecoms operators in Ireland on a wholesale basis. This means that other operators can resell the fibre product to their customers, helping to stimulate the development of new services and boosting retail competition in the broadband market for Irish consumers and businesses.
Pat O’Doherty, chief executive, ESB, said: “This fibre infrastructure will use ESB’s existing electricity infrastructure, maximising the use of state assets to the benefit of Irish society. Over the last 10 years ESB has invested over €6 billion in its electricity network infrastructure nationally, ensuring it is one of the most robust and modern electricity networks in the world thus enabling the delivery of this new fibre broadband network. From the rural electrification of Ireland, to the development of the smart grid and our telecoms expertise, ESB will continue to pioneer strategic, infrastructure developments that positively impact the economy and offer new competitive services to our customers.”
Anne O’Leary, Vodafone Ireland CEO, added: “Vodafone has the best mobile network in Ireland and now this joint venture will bring the best broadband service to Ireland. With the number of devices per household anticipated to almost double over the next four years and more bandwidth-hungry services being developed, this new broadband service will enable a whole range of new services to be offered to Irish customers in the future from entertainment, security, teleworking to Web-based gaming or home automation.”
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