Sligo Is Fibre Ready Already

Today we have launched a new campaign in Sligo town ‘You’re Fibre Ready Already,’ focusing on our full fibre broadband network in the town. Our fast, reliable and trusted broadband is available to over 8,000 premises - homes and businesses – across the town. The campaign will run for five weeks from 11 September to mid-October. For Sligo residents frustrated by poor connectivity or slow broadband speeds, the campaign’s key message is you may be one of the more than 18,000 Sligo town residents who can already avail of SIRO fibre broadband. Areas in Sligo town covered by SIRO’s full fibre broadband network include (but are not limited to): Strandhill Road, Hawthorn Avenue, Ballydoogan Road, Treacy Avenue, Ard na Veigh, Clara Court, Wolfe Tone Street, John Street, Grattan Street, Market Street, Chapel Street, Abbeyville Park, Garvoge Villas, Doorly Park Road, Yeats Heights.

How to find out if your home is available to connect to SIRO.

On-the-ground campaign activations in Sligo include SIRO-branded bus shelters, advertising in local shopping centres and SIRO-branded fibre cabinets. All will display a QR code, which when scanned with your phone brings individuals to a dedicated Sligo town page. From here, residents are able to learn more about the benefits of switching to the SIRO network and search their eircode to see if SIRO is available. You will be able to access detailed information on the retailers they can order fibre broadband from, as well as their varying offers and prices. They can then choose their preferred retailer and contact them to place an order to avail of SIRO broadband. As SIRO is a wholesale broadband provider, consumers and businesses in Sligo town can order their full fibre broadband from one of SIRO’s twenty retail partners, including Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom, Fastcom, Airwire and Blacknight Solutions. SIRO is a joint venture company between ESB and Vodafone, founded in 2015, focused on delivering full fibre broadband to Ireland’s towns and cities. SIRO’s fibre broadband network is built on the ESB electricity infrastructure, trusted for its reliability and resilience. To date nationally, SIRO’s network is available to 520,000 premises in 135 towns across Ireland, with the company on track to reach over 700,000 premises by 2026. Commenting on the Sligo campaign, SIRO Chief Commercial Officer, Ronan Whelan, said:

“Reliable and fast broadband is now a non-negotiable part of our lives. When you enjoy seamless broadband, you quickly forget how frustrating poor connectivity can be. But when your broadband is slow, buffers or lags, it’s not just extremely frustrating; it hinders your ability to carry out essential tasks such as studying online, watch a movie seamlessly or running your business effectively. “SIRO has an extensive fibre network already available on the ground across Sligo town. So, our message for those suffering from poor broadband in Sligo town is simple – see for yourself what better broadband feels like! “Find out today on SIRO.ie  if you are one of the more than 8,000 Sligo town premises that can avail of Ireland’s most advanced broadband network. You could be just a few clicks away from ending your connectivity headaches,” added Mr. Whelan.

To find out if SIRO broadband is available to you, search your Eircode today. [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

On 30 August, the traditional CAO Round One kicks-off. The process is one in which those hoping for a college place eagerly wait for an offer, hopefully, for their course of choice and at their preferred college or university.  However, for these fresh-faced freshers looking forward to commencing their college journey, the thought of undertaking a second college course at some point in the future might be furthest from their minds. But, for many people who completed their education in years or decades past, returning to study is something which they are now considering.   For potential mature students, whether they had the college experience first-time around or never got the opportunity to go further after completing secondary school, undertaking further education is much more challenging. The nature of their lives has become much more demanding and complex than might have once been the case.  Family or work commitments, busy lifestyles with more demands on personal time or the financial priorities of mortgages and other day to day expenses, all make perusing college education as a mature student more difficult.   Despite this, we are seeing new routes to further education emerge in response to these challenges. There are many examples of flexible education emerging. Fully online and remote education is expanding, micro-credentials and short courses, which over time can be built into bigger degree or master's qualifications, are all growing in number and popularity.   Reliable and future proofed connectivity enabled through increasing access to fibre broadband networks across Ireland is supporting the trend toward in Ireland.   However, for many in Ireland fully remote further education can sometimes come with at least two disadvantages. Firstly, if you live in a part of Ireland where fibre broadband networks have yet to be rolled out, engaging with online education can be difficult. Or secondly, if you work and learn better in a group setting with classmates then online education can feel isolating.  

New remote studying initiative aims to make studying more accessible

Luckily, a new pilot higher education initiative is seeking to offer a solution to both of these issues for mature students. In June, Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris introduced a new initiative “‘Learning in the Hubs’”, which will allow third-level students to carry out their degrees from their local connected hub. “Learning in the Hubs” is being rolled out initially in the Midlands under a strategic partnership between Connected Hubs and the Technology University of the Shannon (TUS).   For students, this means they can attend lectures and complete course work in a group setting, from the closest connected hub to them. To start, two new courses will be offered at 13 remote working hubs. The courses are as follows: Certificate in Business in Entrepreneurship (Level 6), and Bachelor of Business (Hons) (Level 8) degree programme.  

Which hubs are participating in this initiative?

The location of the hubs offering these courses are as follows: Ballinasloe, Birr, Boyle, Edenderry, Edgeworthstown, Mountmellick, Mountrath, Mullingar, Portarlington, Portlaoise, Tullamore.  In August, Dundalk’s Creative Spark and Skibbereen’s Ludgate Hub recently announced that they too will join the initiative.   [caption id="attachment_8534" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Powered by SIRO, The Ludgate GigaBitHub in Skibereen has recently joined the Learning In The Hubs Initiative[/caption]

How does SIRO play a part?

We are committed to rolling out our fibre broadband network to towns and cities across Ireland. As this work continues and our country moves ever closer to a full fibre Ireland, we also need to focus on the use cases for our network. The delivery of public services such as eHealth or online education are two obvious areas where reliable connectivity can improve the lives of our citizens.  With a number of existing Connected Hubs already utilising our full fibre broadband network, we welcome this initiative which focuses on empowering students to receive their third-level education locally. The initiative is a pilot programme, with the opportunity to offer the programme as a larger mainstreamed initiative further down the line being explored.   Having access to reliable, future-proofed connectivity will support the development of sustainable communities in smaller towns nationwide, making these towns more attractive places to live, work and invest in.   For more information on the ‘Learning in the Hubs’ initiative read here.

Find Out More Information on the GigaBitHub Initiative

Today we are happy to announce that our full fibre broadband is currently being rolled out to homes and businesses in both Ballyshannon and Bundoran. Our fibre broadband network is bringing high-speed, future-proofed connectivity to 1,300 homes and businesses in Bundoran and 900 premises in Ballyshannon. The initial build works in the towns commenced in March 2023, with works set to be fully completed in both towns this autumn. Some premises in Bundoran are already available to order, with the remainder becoming available in by end August. The first premises in Ballyshannon will be available to order from August onwards. Areas in Ballyshannon which will benefit from the SIRO roll out include (but are not limited to): Bachelor’s Walk, Slate Row, Lawne Close, Cluain Barrow, Assaroe View, Saint Benildus View, West Port, West Rock, Townparks, Highfields, Upper Erne Dale Heights, Abbeylands, Ashbrook Drive. Areas in Bundoran which will benefit from the SIRO roll out include (but are not limited to): Ross Avenue, Ross View, West End, Ben Bulben View, Rossmore Court, Dartry Court, Dinglei Park, Shamble Lane, Marina View, Mountain View, Silverhill, Bunholvill, Sea Crest, River Walk, Celtic Cross View.   SIRO is a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone delivering full fibre broadband to towns and cities across Ireland. The company’s network uses the existing ESB electricity network to bring connectivity to the hearth of homes and businesses. To date, SIRO fibre broadband network is available to over 500,000 premises in more than 130 towns across Ireland. Our full fibre network can provide speeds of up to 2 Gigabits per second for residential customers and up to 10 Gigabits per second for business and enterprise customers. SIRO is a wholesaler broadband provider, meaning consumers and businesses can order their full fibre broadband from one of their twenty retail partners, including Virgin, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Blacknight, Fastcom, Pure Telecom and more. We have already connected almost 20,000 premises across four Donegal towns including: Ballybofey, Buncrana, Letterkenny and Donegal Town. Commenting on the announcement, SIRO CEO John Keaney said:

“At SIRO, we understand the importance of having a reliable broadband connection and no more so than in Donegal. The arrival of SIRO’s fibre broadband to Bundoran and Ballyshannon will hugely benefit individuals and businesses in the two towns as it ensures reliability, stability, and the highest speeds. “We believe that having access to a future-proofed connection ensures individuals can continue to live and work however they choose, and wherever they choose, creating sustainable and prosperous local communities, much less dependent on larger towns and cities for opportunities.”

Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, John G McLaughlin said:

“Donegal County Council is delighted with the imminent availability of SIRO in the towns of Bundoran and Ballyshannon. We are expecting a high level of demand in both these towns similar to the demand that has been experienced in Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey and Donegal Town. “This extra investment in Donegal by SIRO should be applauded as the continued extension of this Fibre-to-the-Building broadband network, which is recognised as the gold standard for broadband internationally, will bring high-speed broadband to 2,200 homes and businesses in South Donegal. “This investment also further supports our strategy to make Donegal a place in which to invest, to live, to work and to visit.”

To find out if SIRO is available to your home/business search your Eircode or register your interest here where you will be automatically notified when SIRO is available at your premise. [mailchimp_modal button-text="Register Your Interest" title="Sign Up Form" position="mid"]

In June, Virgin Media became SIRO’s newest retail partner reselling our fibre broadband network across Ireland and joining existing retailers such as Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom and Blacknight amongst others. Virgin Media will offer speeds for residential customers of up to 2 Gigabit per seconds. Access to 2 Gigabits speeds will be welcome news for Ireland’s gaming community – over 700,000 – and particularly those who participate in multi-player gaming and e-Sports. Meanwhile, it is a tough time for the tech industry. Layoffs, organisational reshuffling, and reprioritising of funds is seen across the sector, and e-Sports is no exception. This year has seen tough layoffs and closures for eSports agencies, like The Guard, eUnited, FaZe Clan and 100 Thieves. It is a stark contrast when we reflect on the not-so-distant past of 2020. When we look back to then, for the e-Sports industry, there was an increased demand for tournaments and games throughout the pandemic. Traditional sports had to take a step back, due to restrictions on public gatherings, and e-Sports attracted new audiences like never before. From there, virtual tournaments that could be held at a distance, with large pots of cash up for grabs by the victor were in vogue. Yet, three years on, has the hype died down? Industry experts say: the jury’s still out. Recently, the final ever major Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CS: GO), a first-person shooter game event was held in Paris, France. It was viewed more than 1.5 million times on Blast.tv and was the third most viewed major CS: GO event ever. The event was held at the Accor Stadium in Paris and the stadium, which can hold over 83,000 people, was packed. Discourse within the e-sports industry is divisive as to whether e-sports can continue as it is. Some view it as a marketing machine. For First Person Shooter and Battle Royale games, reliant on sponsorships; others as a poorly managed business. What e-Sports is at its heart, however, is a means of uniting a community of gamers with a unique sporting experience with the potential to be permanent fixture for sport and gaming enthusiasts that lasts the test of time. There is opportunity with the e-Sports industry to expand on its partnership with telecoms, be it through additional sponsorships, or by providing connectivity to venues where high-stake tournament events are held. In Ireland the audio-visual sector, including games development is growing, and fibre connectivity low latency and high speeds has been instrumental in supporting its success. Irish retail telcos like Virgin Media have begun to sponsor gaming infrastructure and events. WYLDE, an e-Sports agency who collaborate with Virgin Media has established an e-Sports training academy in Cork  for budding professionals. Another international example of this is South Korea’s SK Telecom, who support SKT T1. SKT T1 are one of the most successful and highly decorated teams in the League of Legends e-Sports professional scene. The e-Sports industry is of course chasing lucrative sponsorships, as it’s critical for the industry to ensure it can establish large events for its fans to attend. For tournaments, it relies on viewership, brand deals, and ticket sales to justify the large tournament pots. For the viewer, there currently is not as much incentive to spend on e-Sports, as much of its content is free. According to a report by Deloitte in 2022 on the spending behaviours of European e-sports fans, barely 10% have made a purchase. Yet, the global e-sports industry in 2022 was worth over €1.29 billion ($1.39 billion) and is expected to grow. This means while some viewers are not spending, there is a lot of current, and future, value placed on the industry by analysts. So, what can the e-Sports industry do to future-proof itself? Some market experts argue that strategic partnerships are the way to go. While it may be obvious that collaborating with computer hardware brands, video game development companies is one route; telcos too have been placed high on the list of natural partners. With fibre connectivity, there are opportunities (network coverage pending) to host either virtual or in-person events, like e-Sport training boot camps where enthusiasts can meet the teams they look up to and improve their aim or get insider “pro-gamer” moves. There is plenty of opportunities for telcos and e-Sports to collaborate outside of just sponsoring the tournament event hall with connectivity. With the arrival of Web3 and the Metaverse, events can now be held within the Metaverse, incentivising viewers to get involved while charging a nominal fee or selling rNFTS (Redeemable Non-Fungible Tokens) for a return on investment. This is similar to Roblox and Minecraft holding concerts with big names like Ariana Grande and Lil Nas X to perform virtually. Influencer marketing and content creation are now tried and tested ways of casting a wider net to pull in larger audiences for e-Sports and gaming. While the e-Sports industry is going through a rebalancing act, there is still plenty of opportunity for growth for the sector. Fans are still interested in the competitive aspect of gaming, whether it be FPS or Battle Arena games. For telcos, particularly on the retail side, supporting and collaborating with the e-Sports industry, unlocks the opportunity to access tens of millions of active players and fans globally – something which is hugely attractive as all telcos look to grow their brand awareness and their customer base. For more information on SIRO’s network and how it can support your gaming needs, take a read here. [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Last year, SIRO and Viatel sponsored Esker House with free connectivity. Esker House is a domestic abuse support service based in Athlone, providing refuge and related services across the Midlands. Now, a year on, SIRO checked in with Deirdre Berry, Manager of Esker House to see how our fibre connection has benefited the refuge.  

Tell us about Esker House and the work that you do?

Esker House is a domestic abuse support service for Women and Children, while based in Athlone and its wider catchment area, we serve women across Ireland. We provide a refuge with 5 units for them to stay in. We have a 24-hour helpline and crisis line for people to ring into. We also a have a suite of services for people who do not wish to leave their homes, but want support in keeping safe, while we manage and identify risks for them. We also work with women who have just left abusive relationships where the risk of assault, and death, would be high. Research indicates that this is the most dangerous point. We work with children who have experienced any sort of domestic abuse, this could include recovery work and crisis work, including creating safety plans, and teaching them how to navigate abusive situations emotionally and safely. In Athlone and Roscommon, we help women learn if they reach the threshold for court using our Court Support Service. We help women identify whether they require protection orders or safety orders, or even barring orders. We provide-on-the day support within the courts and aftercare, linking them in with Gardaí or Solicitors and anything else they might need. [caption id="attachment_8468" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Pictured Deirdre Berry, Manager of Esker House Women’s Refuge, Athlone.[/caption]

“Since we got SIRO, it’s transformed the work that we have been doing”

It’s now been a year since you’ve connected to SIRO’s network. Can you tell us about how you’ve been finding the service?

Prior to the connection we received from SIRO, we struggled to get an internet connection. There seemed to be something wrong with the lines even though we were in the middle of the town. We were at a point where we got an IT consultant company system to diagnose the systems we needed. We wanted to get a new Zoom Phone system, which required broadband. We adopted ESafe, which is a client record system. We knew we were going to use two offices, so we needed to communicate between those two sites. We couldn’t have done that with the internet we had. We also wanted to provide connectivity to service users in apartments, so we needed a network in place to facilitate that. With our old connection, we couldn’t do that. Since we got SIRO, it’s transformed the work that we have been doing. Something as small as being able to provide Netflix for our service users to use at night once they have settled in; to be able to switch off or decompress is really valuable. For us to make the move from paper to digital was unknown for us, but for it to happen with ease was so important to us. The support we received from Sean Dervan in SIRO and the people in Viatel getting us over the line was great.

Is connectivity important for running a shelter? What are the keyways in which broadband is used by your service?

Since having SIRO as a sponsor for our connectivity, we’ve been able to expand our services. We want to be able to provide a wrap-a-round service to our users. So, we decided to rent a separate office as we wanted to utilise the space within the refuge as much as we could. The separate office allows us to do community training, virtual meetings etc. We’ve now been able to introduce Salesforce and use a client record tracking system (Safe Ireland), it’s a national network that’s paired with Include, who built the database. We can now create records, track safety plans, book meetings rooms. We’ve only been able to use this since we got SIRO. Our workers now have a computer each and utilise cloud technology to keep track of everything. All our calls are taken via Zoom. It’s cost effective and time effective. There’s a level of communication and visibility that we wouldn’t have been able to have before. [caption id="attachment_8467" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Pictured Deirdre Berry, Manager of Esker House Women’s Refuge, Athlone with SIRO Corporate Affairs Executive Gill Scally.[/caption]

  “We even got a second connection into our office as we were so impressed with the service. We couldn’t get it in fast enough!”

Would you recommend SIRO’s business product?

Yes absolutely. We even got a second connection into our office as we were so impressed with the service. We couldn’t get it in fast enough! Working with Viatel and SIRO was such a smooth experience. The customer service was great. We didn’t feel there was a massive delay in getting in it either, which was great.  

How can people support Esker House or find out more information?

We have Facebook, Instagram, and a website: www.eskerhouse.ie We also have a 24-hour helpline, it’s 09064 74122. If anyone wants to support us, fundraising is fantastic but to promote the service and what it does apart of their fundraising events can transform and save women’s lives. If more people could spread the information of what we can do would be invaluable.

With summer well under way, people are jetting off on holidays and taking that awaited trip away. Or even if you are just back, it’s likely you are thinking of the next one. Whatever your ideal trip - beach holiday, city-break or camping trip - researching and booking it online usually guarantees the best deals.   Researching and planning a holiday can be a time-consuming task, however, there are a range of sites and services which can take the headache out of the task. Outlined below are a list of online resources to help narrow down your options and choose the perfect holiday for you. 

How to choose the right destination

To start, you need to choose your ideal destination: 

• If you are looking for some inspiration, checking out some online blogs dedicated to travel can be a good starting point. Bloggers such as thetravelexpert.ie or www.stephmylifetravel.com provide their experiences of travel – the best destinations to go, travel tips for tourists and so on.  

• If you like seeing visuals of places before deciding, then TikTok or YouTube could be your best bet. Just search a preferred destination on either app and watch short/long videos for inspiration.

• If you would like to pick a destination based on popularity, a study by Statista in 2022, revealed that Ljubljana, Slovenia was voted as the best travel destination in Europe. The second favourite destination voted was Marbella in Spain, followed by Amiens, France.  

“Researching a holiday requires time, and having a steady broadband connection can make all the difference. Having a reliable, high-speed fibre optic connection enables you to have multiple tabs open at once, to book things quickly and efficiently, and overall to ensure the process is smooth and easy.”

How to get the best flight deals

Once you have chosen a desired location, your next step is to research flights to this area.  

• If you want to compare flight prices to ensure you get the best deal for you, you can check out websites/apps like Skyscanner or Kayak These websites are designed to help you compare both indirect and direct flights to destinations worldwide, based on your requirements and budget. 

“73% of all airline tickets are purchased on a desktop. To be able to view results quickly and purchase your flights with ease from home, it’s important to be connected to a steady, high-speed Wi-Fi, such as SIRO’s 100% FTTH broadband.”

Where to stay?

Destination check. Flights check. Now onto accommodation…  

• If hotels/hostels are your go-to, then head on over to sites like Trivago or Booking.com. Trivago compares hotel prices and offers. Booking.com offers a similar approach, showing a variety of options ranging from B&Bs and apartments to hotels and resorts.  

• If you want the home away from home feel, or are travelling with a larger group, then you should have a look on Airbnb. Hosts rent out their homes/properties for you to stay in during your holiday.  

“Booking.com was the most visited travel and tourism website globally in March 2023, recording around 555 million visits to their site.”

Sight-seeing made easy 

Now that you’ve sorted the location, flights, and accommodation, you can relax and put the feet up, the hardest part is over!  Closer to the time of your trip, you can investigate all the touristy things to do in your chosen location, and research some nice places to eat and drink.  

• When looking to book tickets to popular attractions, websites such as Viator or GetYourGuide are handy to use. These websites are centred around providing deals on tickets for various attractions by location.  

• A great resource for looking at reviews of restaurants and bars is TripAdvisor a website many would already be familiar with. With 169 million visits to the site recorded in March, this popular site offers trusted reviews of all restaurants, cafes and bars worldwide.  
• If you would like to book a table at a nice restaurant or cafe, have a look on OpenTable  or The Fork These websites let you have visibility over available times and dates at various restaurants in your location. 

  Now that you are powered with the knowledge of how to get the most out of your research when booking a holiday, what are you waiting for? Book your ideal holiday today before the summer is out, and ensure you have a steady internet connection to allow you to do so.  If you would like to find out whether SIRO’s 100% broadband is available to your home, visit https://siro.ie/   [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

[lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Today, we are proud to announce that we have passed our 500,000^th premise with our full fibre broadband network as part of our open access broadband billion-euro network rollout. Naas-based VEI Global, a managed IT services provider, is the 500,000^th premises to have access to our fibre broadband network – a significant milestone for our roll-out programme. VEI Global provides comprehensive ICT services to a wide range of clients, domestically and internationally. VEI Global collaborates with global integration partners and works with clients such as University College Cork, Phoenix Gas, Lynas Foods, South Dublin County Council, and CIE. VEI is currently in the process of implementing a WAAS solution for the European Parliament, covering an extensive network across 27 countries and 50 sites. [caption id="attachment_8346" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Pictured at the announcement are Vodafone Ireland CEO, Amanda Nelson, VEI Global co-CEO and founder, Conor Killeen, VEI Global co-CEO and founder, Lloyd O’Rourke, ESB Deputy CEO, Marguerite Sayers and SIRO CEO, John Keaney.
Photo: Julien Behal Photography[/caption] Until now, with limited broadband alternatives available, VEI Global had been dependent on an outdated copper connection while awaiting the arrival of our fibre network in their area. However, with the company's expansion, including the establishment of a 24/7 managed services team, having reliable connectivity has become a critical requirement. By gaining access to our extensive fibre network, VEI Global has successfully resolved latency issues, enhanced productivity, and significantly improved the overall experience for their hybrid workforce. Since our establishment in 2015, we have gone onto establish an alternative telecoms infrastructure in Ireland as part of a billion-euro investment programme. We now have over twenty retailers such as Virgin Media, Vodafone and Sky offering its services to half a million homes and businesses across the country. Our unique infrastructure, which leverages the ESB electricity network, means that we have no legacy copper network at any point on its system, enabling us to offer a 100% fibre optic Fibre-to-the-Building service – recognised as the gold standard for broadband connectivity globally. This has enabled us to become the first broadband operator to make speeds of 2 Gigabits available to residential customers and the first to fully upgrade our network to allow for future speeds of up to 25 Gigabits in the years to come. [caption id="attachment_8345" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Pictured at the announcement are VEI Global co-CEO and founder Conor Killeen, SIRO CEO John Keaney, Vodafone Ireland CEO, Amanda Nelson ESB Deputy Chief Executive Marguerite Sayers and VEI Global co-CEOs and founder, Lloyd O'Rourke.
Photo: Julien Behal Photography[/caption] According to VEI Global co-CEO and founder Lloyd O’Rourke:

“The SIRO broadband connection will enhance our company's productivity and reliability, eliminating the daily frustrations of connectivity lags, dropped calls, and slow uploads. Having access to real-time statistics is crucial to our managed service offerings as it allows us to proactively address any potential, future issues.”

VEI Global co-CEO and founder Conor Killeen commented:

"Over the past 13 years, we have experienced tremendous success, and we hold even greater aspirations for the future. SIRO's involvement will play a pivotal role in expanding our business and, more importantly, in elevating the level of service we deliver to our valued customers in Ireland and across the globe."

SIRO CEO John Keaney noted:

“Since our early days as a start-up broadband operator, with big ambition and challenges rolling out a new broadband network, our purpose has always been to reach into communities across Ireland and give them access to standard of connectivity as good as anywhere else in the world. “As we reach 500,0000 premises passed with SIRO’s full fibre network, it is satisfying to see that purpose being realised. Homes and businesses up and down the country accessing our network are living and working in new and more sustainable ways. “For SIRO, today is a significant milestone. However, there are still, many towns, communities, homes and businesses where outdated copper broadband continues to hold them back. SIRO remains focused on the work still left to do – to continue our rollout to ensure more homes and businesses can access our network,” added Mr. Keaney.

Commenting, ESB Deputy Chief Executive, Marguerite Sayers, said:

“I am delighted to be at VEI Global today – a great Naas success story – for this significant milestone. It is a testament to the success of SIRO in connecting communities right across Ireland. “Half a million families and businesses can now gain access to ultra-fast fibre broadband as SIRO continues with its programme to deliver for communities into the future.” 

Vodafone Ireland CEO, Amanda Nelson said: ‘’As we celebrate 500,000 homes and businesses who can access SIRO’s network; it marks an important milestone for SIRO, our joint venture with ESB. Our goal has always been to deliver high speed connectivity to more rural communities, people and businesses across Ireland. 

“Supporting communities with critical digital infrastructure is vital to enabling them to thrive now and into the future. It underpins business growth and development as well as connected education and healthcare. “It is fantastic to see businesses just like VEI Global, compete on a global stage supported by high-speed connectivity. We are looking forward to connecting more homes and businesses as we continue to bring world-class fibre broadband to towns and communities across Ireland.’

To search your Eircode and check your eligibility, search here: [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Today we are proud to announce that homes and businesses in both Duleek and Kells can now avail of its 100% fibre broadband. Our fibre broadband network will bring high-speed, future-proofed connectivity to over 2,500 homes and businesses across Duleek and Kells. The initial build works in Kells commenced in April 2022 and in Duleek in August 2022 with works completed in both towns at the end of May.

What areas in Kells can get SIRO?

Areas in Kells which will benefit from SIRO’s roll out include (but are not limited to): Cherryhill, Headfort, Bective, Taylor Hall, Church Street and Lane, Balrath Wood, Suffolk Street, The Glebe and more.

What areas in Duleek can get SIRO?

Areas in Duleek which will benefit from SIRO’s roll out include (but are not limited to): Ashbourne Road, Main Street, Church Lane, Riverview, Ashvale Court, Larrix Street, Balsaran Close, Bathe Abbey, Cill Carban and more. SIRO is a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone delivering full fibre broadband to towns and cities across Ireland. Our network uses the existing ESB electricity network to bring connectivity to the heart of homes and businesses. Our network is available in 130 towns across Ireland and almost 500,000 premises. We are a wholesaler broadband provider which means that consumers and businesses can order their full fibre broadband from one of our twenty retail partners, including Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom and Fastcom.

Where is SIRO already available in Meath?

SIRO has already connected over 20,000 premises across 11 Meath towns including: Ashbourne, Dunboyne, Enfield, Mornington, Rathoath, Trim, Bettystown, Dunshaughlin, Laytown, Navan and Stamullen. To date, almost 500,000 premises can access SIRO’s reliable network. Commenting on the announcement, SIRO Chief Executive Officer John Keaney said:

“Duleek and Kells are the latest towns in Meath to benefit from SIRO’s high-speed connectivity. As we continue rolling out our fibre broadband network across Meath towns, we have already seen the impact it has had on developing sustainable local communities. “Having access to a stable, future-proofed connection ensures homes and businesses can continue to live and work however they choose, and wherever they choose, without being dependent on larger towns and cities for opportunities. At SIRO, we aim to provide access to high-speed connectivity to both smaller and larger towns across the country, to develop digital societies and keep Ireland’s economy thriving. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact that SIRO’s full fibre broadband can have on these towns in the months and years to come, as they continue to grow, develop supported by SIRO’s network.

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This week, we are delighted to announce we are rolling out a full fibre broadband network to three towns across County Offaly in 2023. This stage of our network roll-out and significant investment in the county, was announced as part of a formal presentation on Monday, to Offaly County Councillors and Council officials at a meeting in Clara. Our build works are underway in Tullamore where 600 premises can already access SIRO fibre broadband.

Where is SIRO rolling out in Offaly?

The roll out will include 9,000 homes and businesses across Tullamore, Edenderry and Birr, as part of our full fibre broadband roll out. Build works are already commenced in Edenderry also, with network roll-out in Birr expected to start late 2023 and into 2024. The full fibre roll out in Tullamore will cover 4,500 premises, whereas Edenderry will cover 2,400 premises and Birr will cover 2,300 premises.

What areas in Tullamore will SIRO cover?

Areas within Tullamore that will be covered under our full fibre roll out include (but are not limited to): Oakfield, Limefield, Chancery Park Road, Clonminch Wood, Hophill, Charleville Road, Marian Place, Carraig Cluain, Eiscier End Road, Clontarf Road, Thornsberry Estate, O’Molloy Street.

What areas in Edenderry will SIRO cover?

Areas within Edenderry that will be covered under SIRO’s full fibre roll out include (but are not limited to): The Sycamores, The Park, Killane Heights, Castleview Park, Kileden Lawn, Rectory Meadows, Assumption Road, Gilroy Avenue, Woodfield, Glenn na Carraige, Carrickhall Lane, Coneyburrow.

What areas in Birr will SIRO cover?

Areas within Birr that will be covered under SIRO’s full fibre roll out include (but are not limited to): Meadowville, Meadow Brook, John’s Place, Connaught Street, Sandymount View, Compton Row, Hollypark Drive, High Street, Main Street, Demesne View, Fairview, Burke’s Hill, Woodlane. Our roll-out of a full fibre broadband network in Offaly is part of the company’s ongoing network expansion, targeting 770,000 premises in 154 towns and cities across Ireland.  To date, over 490,000 premises nationally in 130 towns and cities can access SIRO’s network. Our full fibre network offers speeds of up to 2 gigabit per second for homes, and up to 10 gigabits for enterprise connections.

Who is SIRO?

SIRO is a joint venture company between ESB and Vodafone, founded in 2015, focused on delivering full fibre broadband to Ireland’s towns and cities. SIRO’s fibre broadband network is built on the ESB electricity infrastructure, trusted for its reliability and resilience. Overall, the company is investing more than €1 billion in delivering high speed, future proofed broadband across Ireland.   Commenting on the announcement, SIRO CEO, John Keaney, said:

“SIRO’s announcement of the addition of three Offaly towns to our broadband network means that these key regional towns can now experience the transformative effect that SIRO’s full fibre broadband can have on a community. “It means that these places instantly become a more attractive place to do business, work flexibly, and live as they become more connected with a high quality, fibre broadband. “The need for reliable, high quality, fibre connectivity grows each day as businesses operate using cloud technology, employees host meetings virtually, and more businesses use contactless and card payment methods each day. Up to access to fast and reliable broadband connectivity can be a pain point for business and consumers when using the latest technologies. However, full fibre broadband reduces these pain points.”

Offaly County Council CEO Anna Marie Delaney, welcoming SIRO’s rollout in County Offaly, noted:

“Connectivity is at the heart of how we live today. High quality broadband is central to how individuals, communities and businesses now communicate, learn or work each day. Having access to SIRO’s full fibre network within the county will support economic development, investment into the county and job creation. “SIRO’s fibre broadband network will be an important addition for the county’s long-term growth and development and align with the Council broader economic growth strategy. It will sustain employment locally but also underpin the creation of the jobs of the future, particularly as digital technologies become ever more critical to so many business sectors based in Offaly”.

SIRO is a wholesaler, and its broadband service is available to order from the following retailers in Offaly: Vodafone, Sky, Airwire, Pure, Digiweb, Fastcom, and Viatel, with more becoming available as the roll-out progresses. [mailchimp_modal button-text="Register Your Interest" title="Sign Up Form" position="mid"]