Ireland’s Readiness for High-Speed Broadband Has Not Just Happened by Chance

Before the pandemic, only 14% of people worked from home either sometimes or usually, according to a study by the Economic & Social Research Institute. Over the course of the last 11 months, this number has jumped to 47% - an EU survey found that Ireland has one of the highest rates of remote working in Europe. The Government has announced new legislation to give employees the right to request remote working even beyond the pandemic, which proves the shift to remote working is here and here to stay. The availability of good, reliable broadband is the biggest enabler in this seismic shift. The good news is the evolution of broadband infrastructure and connectivity in Ireland has accelerated massively over the past 5 years and will continue to do so in the coming years, transforming the country both socially & economically.

Broadband in Ireland Before 2015

Before 2015, conditions in the broadband infrastructure market were very different. There was virtually no infrastructure competition in Ireland and no investment in full fibre solutions. Broadband speeds were low - speeds of 1Gbps were unheard of, and customers were getting below 30Mbps as standard. The National Broadband Plan set this as the minimum threshold for speed. In many cases, telecom insiders (seeking the status quo to remain) argued that this may be too high. Incumbent broadband carriers across Ireland and Europe were largely continuing the rollout of copper solutions with speeds up to 100Mbps. Some Telcos even flirted with the idea of rolling out enhanced copper services like G-Fast to extend the life of the copper telecoms infrastructure. None of these solutions would transform or future-proof Ireland but merely extend the life of the increasingly frail copper network.

What Actions Were Being Taken?

Current and previous governments have been criticized for not doing enough to support the rollout of fast broadband. In many ways the pace of change is too slow, and the perceived slow pace is little comfort to those people who do not have adequate broadband right now. However, the reality is that major infrastructure investments take time. And in the fullness of time, I believe it will be noted that the government made two critical strategic interventions that have provided the platform for change in the market and delivering significant progress for Ireland.

Specifically:

• Supporting The Establishment of SIRO

ESB began a tender process in September 2012 to find a partner in a joint venture company to deploy a fibre-to-the-building network using ESB Networks' overhead and underground infrastructure as part of its innovation strategy. Vodafone emerged as the preferred bidder for the project in September 2013, when both companies entered exclusive negotiations. The agreement to form the new joint venture company was signed by the two organisations on 2nd July 2014 with EU regulatory approval secured in November 2014. The name and brand of the joint venture company was formally unveiled as SIRO on 14th May 2015. Commenting at the launch of SIRO, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, said: "This Government is serious about broadband. High speed broadband is a necessity for all Irish homes and businesses as we connect Ireland to the world and create new jobs. This is why the Government supported the joint venture between ESB and Vodafone to create SIRO”.

• Creating a National Broadband Plan Tender to Address Market Failure of Poor Broadband Zones for 545,000 Premises

The government’s ambitious plan to deliver fibre broadband to rural Ireland through a national tender is now operational and seeking to deliver the first full fibre homes by the end of 2021. The initial NBP tender had 925,000 homes. Prior to completion of this tender, the competitive nature of the tender drove Eir to make the decision to commercially build 300,000 premises from the intervention area, which they have successfully concluded. Simply, the creation of competition in the market did not happen by accident. When competition is encouraged, the market can flourish, for which society, the economy, and the consumer reap the benefits.

Where We Are Now?

Since SIRO launched, existing Telcos have ditched copper and started moving to FTTP solutions. In 2015, SIRO started building Ireland’s first 100% fibre network, which prompted the incumbent Open Eir to roll out their own. This is the most advanced future-proof technology, which will support industry, education, health, agriculture & household requirements for the next 40-50 years. The pace of rollout has also dramatically improved as both key infrastructure players seek to “get there first”. By the end of 2020, SIRO and Eir have made fibre available to over 1,100,000 premises– equating to more than 47% of the premises in Ireland. Minimum speed of 30Mbps is a thing of the past. The standard fibre speed being rolled out now is 500Mbps, a dramatic improvement compared to 5 years ago. Under the Remote Working proposal, the Government also plans to accelerate the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan – currently designed to cover 544,000 premises across Ireland within the next 6 years. The ultimate objective is to have 100% fibre coverage in the country – that’s Ireland going from zero to full fibre by 2025.

What Are The Benefits of 100% Fibre Broadband?

Consumers benefit from far greater speeds and a more reliable, seamless broadband service – the beauty of 100% fibre technology. The cost of this service to consumers can be secured at €30/€60 and pricing at a retail level has been extremely competitive, allowing consumers to avail of dramatically faster speeds for equivalent or similar charges. Any technology is only as good as its benefits to the end users. In this regard, the benefits of full fibre technology extend far beyond fast and reliable broadband – it will reshape ways of living and working, and in turn transform Ireland’s social and economic landscape. Reduced commute time, better work-life balance, improved productivity, and lower transport emissions are some of the key benefits pointed out by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar. As the remote worker can work from anywhere, they can now live outside crowded cities and have been relocating to scenic regional areas for cleaner air and cheaper housing. This, in turn, can have the potential to reduce the burden on big cities and transform regional Ireland in the long run. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, and the strong possibility of remote/blended working arrangements becoming the norm beyond COVID, the stars have aligned for Ireland when it comes to facilitating flexible working arrangements with high-speed broadband. This would not have happened without the competitive dynamics being created by Government, facilitated by the incredible business foresight and ambitions of the SIRO creators in Vodafone (Anne O’leary) and ESB (Pat Doherty/Jerry O’Sullivan & Denis O’Leary). Ireland will now stand among the best countries in the world for access to high-speed fibre broadband, and therefore favourably positioned to ride out the unique challenges of Covid-19 and beyond.

These are challenging and worrying times as Covid-19 continues to affect how we do our work and live our lives. The Government confirmed in January 2021 that the continuation of broadband build, installation and operational activities are critical to the nation and designated as "essential services". As a provider of Essential Services, we continue with our network build and all retailer installations where possible, ensuring you can connect to SIRO during this difficult time. We know how important it is to have a reliable internet connection right now and we assure you that SIRO will continue to deliver the highest quality of service. We would also like to assure you that our first priority is the health and safety of our staff, customers, contractors and the wider community. For that reason, and in accordance with Government guidelines, we have introduced strict protocols for our network build and installation processes.

Installation

SIRO fibre broadband installations are proceeding where possible. Most of the installation process takes place on the outside of the home but we ask that every customer follows our instructions for the safety of all.

• If you have ordered SIRO, you will be called in advance of the installation so that the process can be explained to you.
• You will be asked to confirm that you or nobody in your house is ill.
• Our engineers observe social distancing guidelines, will remain 2 metres back from customers and may request you move to an adjacent room if space is tight where they are working.
• Our engineers and crews are trained to apply the highest standard of Good Hygiene practice, have been supplied with the necessary personal protection equipment, and are subject to inspections to ensure compliance with protocol.
• Our engineers do not work if they are ill.

If you have any further questions about the installation process and the precautions we are taking to keep both you and our people safe please do not hesitate to contact us at info@siro.ie

In October 2019, The Advertising Authority Standard for Ireland (ASAI) published guidelines regulating the use of the term ‘fibre’ in broadband advertising - broadband providers are required to specify whether their product is 100% Fibre, Part Fibre or All Copper. The ruling took effect from 1 December 2019. SIRO fully supports these guidelines and we encourage all consumers to actively seek information on the broadband service you’re buying. Stephen O'Connor, SIRO Director of Corporate Affairs, discusses how the new guidelines will enable greater transparency for the end consumers and benefit the development of FTTH in Ireland. Broadband as we know it is changing. As we consume more and more data, copper based broadband is increasingly unfit for purpose and is a fading technology which is being “switched off” in many countries. Full fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband is now considered globally as the gold standard of connectivity. Consumers look to ‘fibre’ for speed and reliability, yet many in Ireland are still unclear about what they are getting when they order a ‘fibre’ broadband service. In 2018, SIRO commissioned Kantar Millward Brown (KMB) to conduct market research investigating, amongst other things, consumer perception and understanding of the term ‘fibre’ in broadband marketing. This research found that over half of respondents were confused by the different uses of the term ‘fibre’ (e.g. ‘fibre-powered’, ‘fibre broadband’, ‘100% fibre’ etc.) in marketing campaigns (KMB, on behalf of SIRO). One respondent even believed that 100% fibre technology was only available “in the likes of Singapore and Hong Kong”. Telecom Regulator, ComReg, publishes a report each quarter on Irish household broadband subscriptions. There were 1.4m fixed subscriptions at the end of March and just over 900,000 of these are described as “DSL/VDSL (Digital Subscriber Line)” which sounds like advanced technology but are delivered in part over old copper lines. The thing is that many of these customers have purchased a broadband product with ‘fibre’ in its name unaware of the true nature of their connection. This lack of transparency is the issue that the Advertising Standard Authority for Ireland (ASAI)’s guidance note seeks to address. There is undoubtedly a demand for the “real" 100% fibre broadband in Ireland. Since SIRO launched, Irish FTTH subscriptions have grown from 8,000 in January 2017 to 108,000 subscriptions in March 2019, making it by far the fastest growing market segment.

The Importance of Transparency in Advertising

Currently there is little differentiation between part-fibre and full fibre networks in marketing and this has clouded the perception of 100% fibre among consumers. With a fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connection, the presence of copper even in the last few metres between the street cabinet and the home significantly reduces internet speed. For example, the highest consistent speed with FTTC is less than 100 mbps (megabits per second), whereas a fibre to the home (FTTH) from SIRO delivers a reliable, consistent 1,000 mbps (or 1 Gigabit per second). According to the KMB research, speed remains the determining factor in consumer choice of broadband service but accurate speed information isn’t readily available, instead substituted by phrases like “lightning fast” or “superfast”. Consumers deserve transparency when purchasing any product and broadband advertising is no different. According to our research, 73% of consumers would like a “quality broadband mark” that guarantees the types of service they would receive. The new guidelines published yesterday stipulate that suppliers have to describe the network that the service is delivered across - 100% Fibre, Part Fibre or all Copper. This important change will help to provide clarity to consumers.

Developments in Europe

France was the pioneer in regulating broadband marketing. Since 2016 operators in France are under legal obligation to disclose how much of their network is Fibre if that term is used. For example: “The connection of the home is not all optical fibre but a mixture of Copper & Fibre…” In 2018, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCOM) found that retailers were misusing the term “fibra” (fibre) in their advertisements, and fined the offenders more than €13m. AGCOM ruled that from January 2019 retailers could not advertise “fibra” unless the full line was fibre and must say “Fibre on a copper mixed network” if its only part-fibre. A key policy objective of the European Commission is the establishment of the Digital Single Market (DSM) where EU citizens and businesses could avail of all the economic and societal benefits of the Gigabit society. These benefits can only be realised if there is widespread roll out and adoption of high speed broadband across the EU28. In September 2016, EU connectivity targets were set as follows: All schools, public services and enterprises would have access to 1 GB (1,000 MB) connectivity by 2025 and that all households would have access to a minimum of 100Mbps, upgradable to 1 GB. These targets and the realisation of an inclusive Gigabit society requires adequate and future-proofed infrastructure in place in all member states (European Commission). To this end, the new European Electronic Communications Code (EECC which will be transposed into Irish Law by December 2020) promotes and prioritises both the rollout and take-up of Very High Capacity Broadband networks (VHCN). Adoption of Very High Capacity networks like FTTH is jeopardised when consumers are confused by misuse of the word “fibre” in marketing. This in turn undermines the investment case for alterative operators considering building new high capacity networks – why invest millions of euro in capital in a superior network if all operators are allowed market themselves as “Fibre”?

The FTTH Council Europe are Calling for Change

This is an opinion which is shared by the FTTH Council Europe, which wrote an open letter to European Council ministers on the importance of transparency in broadband advertising. The Council argued that if a consumer believes they have a fibre connection, they are unlikely to change it, however, when consumers “are aware of the differences between 100% fibre and copper connections, they ultimately choose fibre”. This risks undermining both the aims of the new Code (access to and take up of Very High Capacity Networks) and the Digital Single Market. SIRO supports the ASAI’s new guidelines. The data usage needs of consumers are changing and they need transparent, reliable information to choose the network that suits those needs. Additionally, investors need assurance that if they finance and build the new high quality networks that Europe needs then they can differentiate that service when it goes to market. While it has been argued that using the terms “part” and “full” fibre may confuse consumers, the introduction of more accurate advertisements allows consumers to make a fully informed decision when choosing their connection.

The SIRO-Powered Brand Mark

Having access to reliable, high-speed broadband is vital as we continue to work, study, and socialise from home using a multitude of devices. The SIRO 100% fibre network guarantees excellent speeds and a connection that you can rely on when you need it most. We have partnered with the three most popular price comparison sites in Ireland - Bonkers, Choosey and Switcher – to show the SIRO-Powered Badge when our network is available in your home. When you see the SIRO badge, you can be confident that our internationally recognised gold-standard broadband technology comes all the way into your home. We want you to know that you are getting SIRO 100% fibre broadband installed in your home on business. Over 355,000 homes and businesses across regional Ireland now have access to SIRO broadband. So the next time you're looking for the best broadband deal online, make sure to look out for the SIRO-Powered badge to ensure you're getting the best broadband technology available in Ireland. For more information on FTTC vs FTTH, read our ‘Top 5 Fibre Myths Busted’ article. To check if you can avail of SIRO, visit siro.ie/search-your-address

Cartoon Saloon was in the final stages of completing “Wolfwalkers”, one of the most eagerly anticipated animated features of the year, when COVID-19 broke out. Working with its broadband partner Blacknight, the Oscar-nominated animation studio was able to connect to SIRO’s Gigabit 100% fibre broadband network, the gold standard for internet connectivity, to ensure that a remote working solution could be put in place to enable them to put the finishing touches to their latest movie and other shows. While hundreds of thousands are working remotely across Ireland, connectivity into the office has never been more important in terms of a company’s ability to serve their remote workforce. By connecting Cartoon Saloon’s studio in Kilkenny to SIRO’s Fibre-to-the-Building network this has doubled their bandwidth speed and increased the reliability and performance, enabling the company to provide access to large files and office applications remotely via a secure VPN solution as well as enabling employees, clients and partners access and share very large files across the globe. Commenting on the partnership, Mark Mullery, Studio Technical Director, Cartoon Saloon, and Assistant Director of the new feature, Wolfwalkers said: “Gigabit broadband enabled new ways of working, giving us the capability to quickly share content with any corner of the globe, whether it’s Hollywood or Beijing. Reliable and fast remote access has been crucial since the initial lockdown and Blacknight were able to provide us with a seamless solution with SIRO’s Gigabit broadband service. As a result, we have been able to put the finishing touches to our latest feature with minimal delay.” Michele Neylon, CEO and Co-founder, Blacknight added: “Remote workers have to be able to have the same digital experience no matter where they are working from and we have been able to provide Cartoon Saloon with the perfect solution thanks to SIRO’s Gigabit broadband network. Being able to tailor services for our customers specific needs has always been what has made Blacknight stand out from the competition, with the speed and capability of our rollout for Cartoon Saloon highlighting how we are helping businesses succeed despite COVID-19.” Ronan Whelan, SIRO’s Chief Commercial Officer, also commented: “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, SIRO has been helping people and businesses across the country do life differently. Our Gigabit broadband network is on a par with what is available in Tokyo, which means that Cartoon Saloon’s employees and clients across the world have been able to successfully collaborate seamlessly using online services. The increased speed and reliability of their office internet link has been crucial to this success, as has employees improving the speed and reliability of their home internet by connecting to our Gigabit broadband.” With nearly 100,000 customers across the globe, Blacknight is known as a market leader in the provision of hosting and co-location services ranging from small single web site hosting to complex backup, connectivity, colocation and security solutions. As a SIRO retail partner, Blacknight is able to offer SME and Enterprise customers access to the wholesale broadband provider’s €450 million Gigabit broadband network, which is 100% Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) and has no copper connections at any point to slow the service down. No other connection can compare with 100% fibre, which supports symmetric speeds of 1 Gigabit, 50 times the upload speeds of traditional copper networks. The SIRO network now covers 351,000 premises, with services now live or under construction in 21 counties across the country. SIRO is offered on an open-access basis to all telecoms retailers in Ireland. Using the existing ESB network, SIRO delivers fibre optic cables all the way to the building. This technology, known as Fibre-to-the-Building, has no copper connections at any point to slow down the network and delivers 1 Gigabit speeds. For context, downloading a high definition movie that is 4 gigabytes in size with a standard 10 Mbps connection would usually take an hour. In contrast, it takes 30 seconds with SIRO’s Gigabit broadband. Find out more about the SIRO 100% Fibre Network for Business.

Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces that it has signed a deal with BT Ireland that will provide Pure Telecom with access to SIRO’s nationwide high-speed fibre broadband network, consisting of 338,000 premises across Ireland to date. As SIRO continues to connect urban and regional premises with Gigabit broadband, the BT deal – worth up to €10M – will allow Pure Telecom to expand its reach countrywide. BT won the highly competitive tender for its established network capability and excellent track record in delivering a leading edge service to Ireland’s wholesale broadband providers. Under the deal, BT will provide Pure Telecom with a comprehensive managed service, that helps bring its ultrafast broadband “Fibre to the Premises” (FTTP) product offering to the market. The service will be made available across Ireland at every location where there are FTTP services are available. The infrastructure agreement will help Pure Telecom to solidify its position as a major competitor in the Irish broadband market by driving down costs for consumers. The company has experienced a 30% increase in demand for its broadband services since the outbreak of COVID-19, which has been the catalyst for a rapid and widespread shift to remote working. Through its strategic partnerships, Pure Telecom can access existing and new broadband infrastructure across Ireland, enabling it to bring high-speed broadband to rural and urban premises as soon as it becomes available. With more people working from home, a reliable, uninterrupted high-speed broadband service is increasingly important. The SIRO Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network covers more than 338,000 homes and businesses in 45 towns around Ireland. Because FTTH technology has no copper connection (which can cause congestion and slow speeds) it delivers a 1 Gigabit (1,000 Megabit) internet connection which can take care of anyone’s remote working and personal needs. As a result, there is no impact on the quality of service if a household has multiple devices in use at one time with data intensive services like video conferencing or streaming content. Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “At Pure Telecom, we are consistently striving to get more people and businesses access to high-speed broadband. Too many homes and businesses in Ireland still don’t have fast internet access and it is detrimental to our society and economy – particularly at a time when everyone has been advised to work from home where possible. We have observed a significant increase in demand for our services since COVID-19 restrictions were introduced and we expect these to have a permanent impact on how people work and where. It has therefore never been more important for people to have the high-speed connectivity they need to work productively from their homes. “By partnering with BT, we will be one of the first providers to offer high-speed broadband to Irish towns and villages who previously didn’t have access. SIRO has been very proactive in its rollout of 100% fibre-optic technology and we look forward to being able to offer it to even more customers.” Peter Evans, Director of Wholesale, BT Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Pure Telecom and SIRO to bring yet more choice and connectivity to broadband users across Ireland, particularly in more regional towns. In the wake of COVID-19, as people have come to depend more on technology to communicate than ever before, it’s important that consumers and businesses have a wide range of services to choose from that best suit their needs.” Ronan Whelan, Chief Commercial Officer, SIRO, said: “COVID-19 has fundamentally changed how we work and live, so the importance of fast, reliable broadband has never been more evident. With 100% fibre-optic FTTH technology, SIRO’s Gigabit broadband is the most powerful in Ireland, helping people do life differently. This latest agreement highlights how SIRO is driving competition in the broadband market and helping to combat the digital divide that currently exists in Ireland. Pure Telecom’s commitment to provide customers with the best connectivity, competitive pricing and best-in-class service through our wholesale network is great news for residential and business customers throughout the country.”

ESB Telecoms Ltd has partnered with SIRO to roll out a nationwide end-to-end ethernet network service. The launch of the new service offering– the Ethernet Tail Extension – will allow telecoms operators to provide their commercial customers with high-speed business connectivity. This service will be made available in 13 urban markets across all 4 provinces and will provide national synchronous ethernet bandwidth solutions between 100Mb and 1Gb. ESB Telecoms Ltd, the wholesale telecommunications provider, has provided flexible fibre and tower solutions to the industry for more than 20 years. In this latest product offering, fibre optic backhaul will be used to connect to SIRO’s network access and provide telecom operators with an end-to-end solution. As well as high-speed connectivity, this new product will enable telecom operators to transfer data from their customer’s premises back to a data centre offsite without having to pay for additional costly infrastructure development or separate backhaul solutions. The Ethernet Tail Extension offering will also allow telecoms operators to expand into new coverage areas and broaden their reach nationwide.

Gigabit Broadband is Essential for Business Operations

Commenting on the Partnership, Managing Director of ESB Telecoms, Rory McGowan, noted: “Irish business organisations are adapting their IT environments faster than ever before in order to address the challenges and opportunities created by an increasingly digital world. These companies require super reliable and ultrafast connections from their telecoms service providers to transmit the mission critical data that is becoming their lifeblood” Rory added, “In order to enhance our support to our customers and Irish businesses in general, we are delighted to announce the launch of our Ethernet Tail Extension product, in partnership with SIRO, which will allow our customers to adapt, grow and thrive in a changing world at the most competitive cost.” Identifying the need to provide a nationwide solution, ESB Telecoms partnered with SIRO to maximise the provider’s expanding network. For end-users, the guaranteed speeds of 1Gb in both directions is essential for cloud connectivity, video streams and business continuity purposes SIRO’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ronan Whelan, added “We are delighted to partner with ESB Telecoms to deliver our fastest ever enterprise product, providing uncontended speeds to businesses across Ireland. This latest partnership is another example of how SIRO is fundamentally driving competition in the Irish broadband market. Connectivity is the nervous system of the country and COVID-19 has further emphasised the need for reliable, Fibre to the Premises broadband. Our partnership with ESB Telecoms will enable us to further support the Digital Agenda in Ireland, ensuring businesses can perform to the best of their ability without archaic copper technology slowing them down.” The Ethernet Tail Extension is now available from ESB Telecoms Ltd. For more information please contact salesenquiries@esbtelecoms.ie.

New data from SIRO, based on usage of its broadband network, has shown that broadband usage levels have dipped by over 10% in recent weeks as a result of the reopening of schools. There is a direct link between the drop in demand and the typical school run time between 08.15 and 09.00 on weekdays, in contrast to when schools were shut, with data usage higher during that period. Similarly, an evening spike in data usage now happens at 21.40 in the evenings, thirty minutes earlier than usual, due to children going to sleep earlier at night. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the average household’s data usage has rise to over 16 Gigabytes per day, which is the equivalent of downloading four High Definition movies on a daily basis. Naturally with the majority of people still continuing to work from home, data usage during the day had increased as a result of households using services like Zoom, Netflix, Disney Plus and Fortnite. The top three busiest locations on the SIRO broadband network were Cork, Limerick and Dublin North West respectively. Cork and Limerick are neck and neck, with Limerick’s data usage coming in higher last Monday and Tuesday, but with the Rebel County ultimately topping the chart. There was similar levels of high usage in Newbridge and Drogheda, coming in fourth and fifth in terms of using, but with both locations alternating for fourth spot every other day. Commenting on the data, Ronan Whelan, Chief Commercial Officer of SIRO, said: “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, broadband usage has fundamentally changed as our kitchens became our home office and school suddenly switched to the living room. Remote working is now a reality and there is no doubt that even after the pandemic ends, that we will move to a new way of working, alternating our workdays between the office and our home. It has also proven that Gigabit broadband is the future, as Fibre-to-the-Home technology is able to cater for the demand of households using multiple devices during the course of the day, so there’s no chance of your video conference call dropping, when someone in another room decides to watch a show on a streaming service.”

The SIRO 100% Fibre Network

Using the existing ESB network, SIRO delivers fibre optic cables all the way to the building. This technology, known as Fibre-to-the-Building, has no copper connections at any point to slow down the network and delivers 1 Gigabit speeds. For context, downloading a high definition movie that is 4 gigabytes in size with a standard 10 Mbps connection would usually take an hour. In contrast, it takes 30 seconds with SIRO’s Gigabit broadband. The SIRO network now covers 340,000 premises, with services now live or under construction in 21 counties across the country. SIRO is offered on an open-access basis to all telecoms retailers in Ireland.  SIRO has formed partnerships with Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom, Carnsore Broadband, Airwire, Kerry Broadband and Rocket Broadband, with more retailers expected to come on board as the company drives competition in the wholesale broadband market.

SIRO, the open-access wholesale broadband provider delivering Ireland’s first 100% fibre-optic broadband network, has announced that its Gigabit broadband services are now available to over 15,000 homes and businesses in Galway city and the surrounding area after construction began last year. Services are already live through SIRO’s retail partners in Galway city, Oranmore, Ballybane, Doughiska, Roscam, Knocknacarra, Salthill, Renmore, Rahoon, Oranhill, Shantalla, Mervue, Ballybrit, Murrough and Castlegar. The €20 million construction project is already halfway through its rollout, with its Gigabit broadband services to be made available to another 15,000 premises. Development of the 100% fibre broadband network is being led by TLI Group – SIRO’s construction partner – who are contacting residents and business owners of premises due to be included in the next stage of the rollout.

High-Speed Broadband Available in Galway

SIRO’s Gigabit connectivity enables Galway residents and businesses to avail of Fibre-to-the-Building technology, which is recognised as the gold standard for broadband connectivity internationally. For context, downloading a high definition movie that is 4 gigabytes in size with a standard 10 Mbps connection would usually take an hour. In contrast, it takes 30 seconds with SIRO’s Gigabit broadband. Anyone wishing to avail of SIRO’s services can simply visit SIRO.ie and enter their Eircode to see if their premises is connected, before contacting one of their retail partners in Galway – Sky, Vodafone, Digitweb, Pure Telecom or Airwire –  to sign up. Commenting on the latest milestone, SIRO Director of Corporate Affairs, Stephen O Connor said “SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband provides the speed and reliability for you to do life different. SIRO is 100% fibre all the way into the home, with no copper at any point in the network, offering ultrafast speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second. There’s no limit to how many devices you can connect without slowing down performance. As a result, anyone connected in Galway will have the same world class broadband experience that is available in Tokyo.” Using the existing ESB network, SIRO delivers fibre optic cables all the way to the building. This technology, known as Fibre-to-the-Building, has no copper connections at any point to slow down the network and delivers 1 Gigabit speeds. The SIRO network now covers 340,000, with services now live or under construction in 21 counties across the country. SIRO is offered on an open-access basis to all telecoms retailers in Ireland.  SIRO has formed partnerships with Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom, Carnsore Broadband, Airwire, Kerry Broadband and Rocket Broadband  with more retailers expected to come on board as the company drives competition in the wholesale broadband market. To check if you can avail of SIRO, visit siro.ie/search-your-eircode

September is usually a busy time for all of us – with summer holidays wrapped up, the adults back in work mode and the kids back in school. It is also the time when most households and families are looking to switch broadband. This year, given the worrying developments around COVID-19, more than ever we are looking to get good broadband in place so that we can continue to work, keep fit, entertain and socialise from the comfort and safety of our own home. There are two main broadband technologies in Ireland: Fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) which uses copper at some points in the network, and Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) with 100% fibre-optic cables - the internationally recognised gold standard of broadband technology. We have spoken at length about the confusion around these two technologies: what is 100% fibre versus part-fibre broadband, the differences in speed and reliability, where can you avail of fibre and so on. This September, we have taken a step further and partnered with three popular price comparison sites – Switcher, Bonkers and Choosey to display the SIRO-Powered Broadband message where the retailer is selling a SIRO product. This ensures that the end consumer is getting SIRO as well as the speeds and reliability of 100% fibre – with no confusion whether the product is fibre or part-fibre.

SIRO-Powered broadband on Switcher:

On Bonkers:

On Choosey:

Next time you’re comparing broadband on one of these sites, look out for the SIRO-Powered message that ensures you’re getting SIRO gold-standard 100% fibre broadband and nothing less. For now, why not Search your Eircode to see if you can connect to SIRO?

Fast, reliable broadband remains one of life's essential commodities, as we prepare ourselves for the 'new normal' world following the COVID-19 pandemic. If the search for broadband leaves you utterly confused, you are not alone. As the network provider of Ireland's first 100% fibre broadband network, we receive many queries, especially around fibre technology. Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) has been recognised as the gold standard of broadband and the only future-proofed solution, however there is a still a lot of confusion around what is 100% fibre, where you can get fibre, the difference between fibre and copper, to name but a few. In this article, we aim to debunk some of the most common myths, so that you can be more informed in your broadband search.

• Myth 1: fibre offers the same speeds as copper.

If you have a fibre connection with speeds of up to 100Mbps, it is likely that your connection is not 100% fibre. This is because speeds largely depend on the journey the signal has to take to and from your router. There are two main technologies used in fibre-optic broadband: Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) and Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH). In an FTTC connection, copper is used for the last few feet connecting the telephone exchange cabinet on the street and the router in your house. All the speed-of-light goodness of fibre optics is lost during this last stretch, and that’s why FTTC generally delivers speeds of up to 100Mbps. On the other hand, SIRO FTTH network connects 100% fibre optic cables all the way to your home, delivering speeds up to 1000Mbps. Fibre is faster, more reliable, and superior to copper in many ways, as it removes all the bottlenecks commonly seen in a copper network. You can connect as many devices as you like, play HD games, watch Netflix and download movies without slowing down your connection.

• Myth 2: I can only get fibre in urban centres (like Dublin)

The sesismic shift towards remote working is here and here to stay, which gives us the freedom to live anywhere and work from anywhere. A common misperception is that only residents of populated towns can get fibre. In reality, SIRO is working hard to bring FTTH connectivity to regional communities all over Ireland. We are already live in 21 counties, with more than 335,000 premises connectable to the SIRO network – view our full roll-out map. If you can live and work from anywhere, why not the scenic town of Westport, the medieval city of Kilkenny, the coastal gem of Donegal. SIRO 100% fibre broadband offers the connectivity you need to turn your dream location into the perfect office space - so why not search your dream address and see if it's SIRO-ready?

• Myth 3: fibre is expensive

Depending on your area, the pricing of fibre packages is very competitive compared to traditional copper packages. We have partnered with 10 retailers to bring you a wide range of fibre broadband plans. For example, Vodafone Ireland’s Gigabit Broadband plan starts at €30/month for 12 months for speeds of up to 1Gbps. If Digiweb is available in your area, you can avail of their Electric Broadband Plan starting at €24.95/month. Sky Ireland also has a number of fibre packages ranging from €30 to €50 monthly to suit your data needs. To avail of these offers, search your address to see what retailers are available in your area.

• Myth 4: fibre requires troublesome installation

Since fibre is brought to your address using the ESB electricity network, it is very simple to install and disruption is minimal. The technician responsible for the install will take time to discuss with you the process and agree on the most suitable entry point and route for the fibre optic cable inside your home. Learn about the full installation process.

• Myth 5: I need a phone line

This is a question we get asked repeatedly, and the definitive answer is that you do NOT need a phone line to avail of SIRO-powered fibre broadband. We deliver SIRO to your home via the ESB meter box - cables are inserted into ducts that already exist in the home. The bottom line In a nutshell, Fibre-to-the-Home is the fastest, most reliable broadband technology available,. As a network provider, we understand the need and have seen first-hand the demand for fast, reliable broadband, especially as COVID-19 continues to impact our lives in unpredecedented ways. Getting a 100% fibre connection now enables you to shape and future-proof your life however you see fit. Sounds promising? Why not search your address to see if your home is connectable to SIRO.