Brannockstown broadband 'within 12 months'

Two hundred homes in Brannockstown are earmarked for connection to the rural broadband programme just outlined by Eir, writes Brian Byrne.

The scheme will use fibre systems strung from telegraph poles, and Eir says it is aiming for 1.9m premises being in the scheme by 2020.

Speeds of up to 1Gbps are claimed to be available by Eir, which rolled out its programme ahead of the State's National Broadband Plan that hasn't yet been awarded to any tenderer.

Because it is a direct exchange to the home system, the speeds available will actually be faster than the cabinet-based systems already in use in larger towns.

By wiring up specific towns and villages now, Eir is taking them out of the NBP, as EU rules don't allow the State to subsidise commercial schemes.

The plan is that the 100,000 premises throughout Ireland in this phase will have their broadband available within 12 months.

It's understood that Eir prioritised hedgegrow trimming in advance of March 1 to facilitate stringing the cables to the first communities to be wired.

Some 50 apprentice places are also being made available for trainees to help with the work.