First for Westmeath as Connollys get broadband through NBP rollout

The Connolly family from Ballynacargy were part of a landmark moment recently when their home became the first premises in the Mullingar Deployment Area have successfully connected to the internet under the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

The family now has access to the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network rolled out by National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the project on behalf of the government.

Ballynacargy was traditionally considered a broadband blackspot so Gerard Connolly, who is director of Connolly Accountants, was more than happy to be one of the first customers in the area to be connected to the NBI network:

“My family and I were delighted for our home to be connected to high speed broadband by NBI,” he said. “It’s been a significant positive development for my business as it has enabled me to work remotely. It has also allowed our family to experience a variety of advantages including leisure activities such as streaming.”

Up to 11,823 premises in Westmeath are included in the state’s Intervention Area, which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms and schools. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, the County will receive €46 million of Government investment under the NBP.

As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers or Retail Service Providers (RSPs). As a wholesale provider, NBI will make the new Fibre-to-the-Home network available to all RSPs operating in the Intervention Area.

Some 50 RSPs have already signed up to sell services on the NBI network and 34 are certified as ready to start providing connections.

Peter Hendrick, CEO of NBI, said: “National Broadband Ireland is delighted to be able to say that we have now commenced our first connections in Westmeath, which will enable users to experience the life-changing benefits that high-speed broadband provides. This is a key milestone for this intervention area.”

“As an increasing number of homes and businesses are being connected, we are confident that the rollout will continue to gather pace as we look to connect thousands more homes and businesses. We are acutely aware that people want access to high-speed broadband and our goal is to deliver that as quickly as possible.”

Robert Troy, TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said: “I welcome today’s milestone of the first connections made to premises in the Mullingar Deployment Area under the National Broadband Plan. This is a key development for the digital footprint of the area, and an important step towards ensuring that communities, homes, schools and businesses across county Westmeath have access to high-speed fibre broadband.”

Gerard McCormack, broadband officer with Westmeath County Council, said “Westmeath County Council has been working with NBI to facilitate the delivery of broadband infrastructure in the intervention area in Westmeath. We are delighted to see how local people and businesses are benefitting through a connection to high speed broadband via the National Broadband Plan. This development will bring a variety of new and exciting opportunities to people in the area.”

Paul Cahill, director with ebroadband, said: “The new connection to high-speed fibre broadband under the National Broadband Plan is going to bring incredible benefits to the people of Westmeath. We are delighted to work with NBI to connect our customers as part of the National Broadband Plan. We are already receiving really positive feedback from our customers in Westmeath, who are now experiencing some of the substantial benefits of high-speed fibre broadband.”

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs)

In advance of the Fibre-to-the-Home roll out, the NBP provides for the delivery of Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) nationwide. 550 of these sites, including Public BCPs, are now ‘live’.

Public BCPs – which include sports clubs, community centres and tourist sites – will provide free public access to high-speed internet in the rollout area. Other BCP categories include schools and marts.

BCPs will pave the way for rural communities to receive the benefits of broadband, from mobile working, e-learning and mobile banking, to digital tourism.

You can view BCPs at https://nbi.ie/bcp-map/.

An example of some of the locations of Broadband Connection Points in Westmeath include Clonkill Hurling Club, Whitehall Community Centre, Milltown Emper Community Centre and Streete Parish Park and Community Hall.

Primary schools in the Intervention Area are also being connected for educational access as part of the NBP.