Open eir accelerates Mayo's gigabit fibre connectivity
open eir, Ireland's largest wholesale telecommunications operator, has announced that an additional 37,029 homes and businesses across Mayo can access gigabit fibre since December 2022, according to new data from its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband roll-out programme.
This ambitious project has now reached almost 1.2 million homes and businesses nationwide, setting a new record for fibre broadband coverage in the country.
This expansion means that more than 3.2 million people can now benefit from full fibre broadband connectivity, almost 92,000 of those are based in County Mayo.
On completion this cutting-edge gigabit network will be available to 1.9 million homes and businesses, covering 84% of premises in Ireland.
The company's FTTH rollout marks a major stride in bridging connectivity gaps, ensuring widespread access to high-speed internet and enabling more homes and businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
The fibre build project has already delivered fibre access in Mayo to 35,580 homes and businesses.
Upon completion, following investment of over €26 million into the Mayo network alone, the network will serve over 49,000 premises across County Mayo, facilitating broadband speeds up to 100 times faster than a traditional copper network.
In 2023, open eir passed thousands of new-build homes, including apartments, meaning its rollout covered nearly two-thirds of all new builds in the country. To support this network growth, open eir has established a dedicated new-build team which is responsible for ensuring that state-of-the-art full-fibre infrastructure is readily available for new homeowners and renters.
The continuous rapid expansion of the network positions Ireland as a leader in global fibre connectivity, driven by a dedicated team of engineers and an investment exceeding €1 billion. open eir's network build has contributed to Ireland now ranking as one of the most technologically advanced countries globally, building on its Eurostat ranking as the 8th most fibre-connected country in the EU last year.
Customers across 1.2 million premises can access full fibre connectivity via a range of retail service providers, such as Pure Telecom. As open eir’s network expands, the number of retail service providers also grows, which fosters a competitive market environment delivering choice and value for money to households and businesses alike.
Maeve O’Malley, managing director of open eir Wholesale, said: "We are is proud to have reached this significant milestone in Mayo and of bringing full fibre connectivity to 1.2 million homes and businesses across Ireland.
"This means approximately 3.2 million people now have the opportunity to connect to future-proof fibre broadband.
"This achievement reflects our dedication to providing cutting-edge technology and enhancing connectivity for communities across Ireland.
"In today's digital age, a full-fibre network is not just about connectivity; it's a cornerstone for Ireland's economic growth.
"We are focused on ensuring new housing developments also have access to fibre broadband with the introduction of a specialised team working to deliver on our commitment to connecting for a better Ireland."