‘On the Dot’ Letterkenny

The digital economy is constantly evolving, revolutionising our lives and changing the future of businesses.

We spoke to Fiona O’Reilly, a Creative Designer and the Creative Director at On the Dot about her thoughts on SIRO rolling out in Letterkenny town. Having freelanced for 15 years in the design industry in Dublin, New York and Sydney, Fiona returned to her native Donegal to further her studies. Fiona completed a BA Honours in Visual Communication at Letterkenny Institute of Technology followed by a first class MA in Motion Graphics before setting up On the Dot, a complete visual communications consultancy for clients. On the Dot are a creative design studio providing innovative, bespoke visual solutions for a diverse range of clients. Fiona recognises the importance of having an online presence when working within the creative industry and believes that good connectivity is a key factor to success.   As Fiona acknowledges “An online presence is completely invaluable. Without a good connection, you just can’t operate. It is important for connecting and nurturing relationships all over the world.” Whilst On the Dot Design is based in Letterkenny town, Fiona has clients right across the country and relies on skype and video conferencing for contacting a number of her international clients.

“Good connectivity has given me more confidence in growing my business”. Connectivity is important not only outside her office but also within Fiona’s home – “I have to live somewhere where I have good connectivity. I can’t live in an area where I’ll experience problems with broadband.”  

  We live in an evolving digital sphere, the way we work is constantly evolving. In terms of boosting productivity, we rely on the use of multiple devices. As Fiona added “I need my smartphone, ipad and desktop devices to work in sync”. This story is one of a series of interviews with local Letterkenny community members. Find out more about On the Dot Design.

Stephen O'Connor Interviews with Karl Fitzpatrick for ‘Business Matters'.

Following the announcement that Wexford was amongst Ireland’s first SIRO-powered town, Stephen O’Connor, SIRO Corporate Affairs Director met Karl Fitzpatrick, Presenter of Business Matters for South East Radio to discuss how residents and businesses in Wexford could benefit from SIRO. Have a listen to Stephen's interview here: [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/264903299" params="color=00cc11&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

What does Letterkenny have to say about broadband?

We asked the people of Letterkenny what high-speed fibre optic broadband would mean to them, for their lives and businesses and this is what they had to say: [embed]https://youtu.be/vx8P6sbS_u4?list=PLTYrnmgB8uRWlOVxJIVF2Hhu50cm50uI_[/embed]

Stephen O'Connor Interviews with Claire Ronan for ‘Sligo County Matters'.

Following the announcement that Sligo was Connaught’s first SIRO-powered town, Stephen O’Connor, SIRO Corporate Affairs Director met Claire Ronan, Presenter of Sligo County Matters to discuss how residents and businesses in Sligo could benefit from SIRO. The interview took place at our consumer activation pod in Johnston Court Shopping Centre, Sligo. The SIRO pod illustrated the transformational elements of SIRO-powered broadband and you had the opportunity to discover the future of online gaming via an immersive virtual reality experience. Watch the video here.

Wexford Town To Become SIRO-Powered With 100% Fibre Optic Broadband Network

SIRO, the ESB-Vodafone joint venture which is delivering Ireland’s first 100% fibre-optic broadband network to 50 towns nationwide, has today announced that construction is underway on its network in Wexford town and that services will begin to become available this summer. The announcement was made by Minister of State Paul Kehoe TD at an event in Wexford Town Hall.   Pictured left to right are Karl Fitzpatrick, President of Wexford Chamber of Commerce, Minister of State Paul Kehoe TD, Sean Atkinson, CEO of SIRO & Mayor of Wexford Councillor Ger Carthy. SIRO’s key differentiator is that it is a 100% fibre-optic internet connection, making it different and better than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland, with no copper connection at any point in the network. This will mean that consumers, businesses, community groups and service providers such as hospitals and schools will be able to avail of a one GigaBit (1000 Mbps) internet connection. Research published earlier in the year revealed that County Wexford has worst average broadband speeds in the country at just 8.3megabits per second (Mbps)*. As a result SIRO will transform the internet experience of SMEs, remote workers and consumers in Wexford town with its GigaBit connectivity. For example, a high definition film (4GB) takes one hour to download with a 10mbps connection - with SIRO it will take 30 seconds. Wexford town is the first of three towns in the county that will be included in the first phase of SIRO’s rollout. Enniscorthy and Gorey will also be connected to SIRO’s 100% fibre-optic broadband network. A second phase including 320 smaller towns and villages across Ireland is also being considered. Officially launching the event, Minister of State Paul Kehoe TD said, “SIRO’s announcement today is a major milestone for Wexford as it will put the town on a par with cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo in terms of internet connectivity. Enniscorthy and Gorey’s inclusion in the first phase of the rollout is also a massive boost as it will help to attract jobs and investment to Co. Wexford in the future. This, coupled with the National Broadband Plan which will address rural areas in the county, will be a real differentiator for the county.” Wexford Mayor Cllr. Ger Carthy, added, “I am delighted that work is underway on SIRO’s rollout in Wexford and that services will soon be available in the town. SIRO will bring massive benefits to the town by letting residents experience the internet services of the future in areas like education, remote working and health before other parts of the country. As a result, we will be able to attract more people back to Wexford to live and encourage people to set up businesses here rather than in Dublin. Similarly we will empower our young people to fulfil their ambitions by giving them access to the best online educational resources and giving them the skills to create the next Facebook and Google here in Wexford.” Speaking at the event, Karl Fitzpatrick, President of Wexford Chamber of Commerce, also said, “Today our digital infrastructure is every bit as important as our physical infrastructure. It is critical that Wexford possesses the technological capabilities to ensure that our existing businesses can compete internationally and also to attract new companies to locate in the County. Therefore, I very much welcome the roll out of SIRO in Wexford and the benefits which this fibre broadband network will deliver for our business community.” Sean Atkinson, CEO of SIRO, told attendees at the launch, “We are delighted to begin our rollout in Wexford, with plans to connect Enniscorthy and Gorey in the future. This is the moment life in Wexford changes forever. What we are launching today is broadband at its best as SIRO is a custom built 100% fibre optic network powered by light, with no copper connection that would slow the service. This will have as big an impact as rural electrification, leaving a last legacy in Wexford.” All homeowners and businesspeople in Wexford town who are interested in receiving updates on the rollout of SIRO should here. To see what SIRO will mean to the people of Wexford, watch their reaction here.

Letterkenny to become SIRO-powered with 100% fibre broadband network.

SIRO, the ESB-Vodafone joint venture which is delivering Ireland’s first 100% fibre-optic broadband network to 50 towns nationwide, has today announced that construction is underway on its network in Letterkenny and that services will begin to become available in mid-May this year. SIRO’s plans were presented at an event in Letterkenny Public Services Centre, in association with Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce. The event was officially opened by Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Joe McHugh TD. SIRO’s key differentiator is that it is a 100% fibre-optic internet connection, making it different and better than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland, with no copper connection at any point in the network. This will mean that consumers, businesses, community groups and service providers such as hospitals and schools will be able to avail of a one GigaBit internet connection. It will transform the internet experience of SMEs, remote workers and consumers in Letterkenny. A high definition film (4GB) takes one hour to download with a 10mbps connection - with SIRO it will take 30 seconds. Officially launching the event, Minister of State Joe McHugh TD said, “I welcome the announcement by SIRO today of its construction of a 100% fibre broadband network in Letterkenny. This service will be a huge boost to the area, both economically and socially. It will make the town very attractive for inward investment; SMEs will be able to compete, nationally and internationally and it will be extremely beneficial in terms of education and remote working. This, coupled with the National Broadband Plan which will address rural areas in the county, will be a real differentiator for Letterkenny and will transform the digital landscape in Donegal.” Cllr. Ciaran Brogan, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council said, “I am delighted that work is underway on SIRO’s rollout in Letterkenny and that services will soon be available in the town. This will be a game-changer for Letterkenny and for Donegal in general, in terms of attracting investment and supporting entrepreneurship.” John Bowe, President of Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce said, “Broadband speed and availability is always an issue and talking point in Letterkenny. Businesses of all types need resilient, affordable connectivity to operate on a daily basis. This fibre to the building network will offer even more opportunities to the Letterkenny business community. SIRO also gives options to home based businesses and those employees who may like to take advantage of home working. We are pleased that Letterkenny has been included in this initial roll out and we hope to see many more of our neighbouring towns included in the near future.” [quote author="Sean Atkinson, SIRO CEO" image="160"]“We are delighted to have begun rollout in Letterkenny. SIRO’s network which is 100% fibre optic, without the need for copper, will deliver a one GigaBit connection directly to the home or business in Letterkenny. This will have a transformational effect on Letterkenny’s digital environment. SIRO will be central to Letterkenny’s communications future, and we look forward to continuing work on our network roll-out here.”.”[/quote] Register for updates about SIRO here. What will SIRO mean to the people of Letterkenny? See their reaction here.

Vodafone’s new LightSpeed Broadband launches nation’s fastest broadband product in Cork.

Vodafone’s new high-speed fibre product, LightSpeed Broadband, has today been officially launched in Carrigaline, giving Co Cork homes and businesses first access to Ireland’s newest and most powerful fibre broadband network. The network is powered by SIRO, the joint-venture between Vodafone and ESB launched earlier this year. Carrigaline is the first of 51 towns or ‘fibre-hoods’ across Ireland to receive access to the SIRO network. From today 1,500 homes and businesses in Carrigaline are ready to experience broadband speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps (or 1Gb) – placing the town on a par with the world’s leading digital hubs. Introductory pricing bundles, also announced today by Vodafone, start at €40 per month for both consumers and business customers. With recent data from ComReg showing that only 50% of all fixed broadband subscriptions in Ireland are providing speeds of over 30Mbps, the launch of Vodafone LightSpeed Broadband is set to revolutionise the online experience in Carrigaline. Forty times faster than traditional broadband, LightSpeed Broadband offers a 100% fibre-optic internet connection, making it different and better than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland, with no copper connection at any point in the network. The product will have a range of options and speeds from 350 Mbps to one gigabit per second. Vodafone expects LightSpeed Broadband will be available soon in multiple locations across Ireland including Dundalk, Wexford, Sligo, Letterkenny, Tralee and Cavan. Speaking at the launch of Vodafone LightSpeed Broadband in Carrigaline, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and local representative, Simon Coveney T.D commented, [quote author="Simon Coveney, T.D"]“As a key gateway to Cork and Munster, Carrigaline is ideally positioned to take advantage of Vodafone’s new fibre broadband product. Access to faster and more reliable broadband will open up huge possibilities for the people of Carrigaline, with local businesses now able to take advantage of the new opportunities that come with open, reliable and fast digital access. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this development in the months and years ahead, ultimately growing entrepreneurship, improvement in businesses and trade in Carrigaline.”[/quote] As a key gateway to Cork and Munster, Carrigaline is ideally positioned to take advantage of Vodafone’s new fibre broadband product. Access to faster and more reliable broadband will open up huge possibilities for the people of Carrigaline, with local businesses now able to take advantage of the new opportunities that come with open, reliable and fast digital access. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this development in the months and years ahead, ultimately growing entrepreneurship, improvement in businesses and trade in Carrigaline.” Ciaran Barrett, Head of Consumer Fixed at Vodafone Ireland, said, [quote author="Ciaran Barrett, Vodafone Ireland"]“We are really excited to launch LightSpeed Broadband today in Carrigaline – delivering on Vodafone’s overall strategy of connecting Ireland and delivering the most reliable broadband network. According to insights from our recent consumer research and friendly user trial, Irish consumers want a seamless connection, allowing busy homes to use multiple devices not just for TV but for entertainment, information and working in the home. With home packages offering a minimum speed of 350 Mbps, busy families can run all devices at once without any streaming lags or long downloading times – creating harmony in the home. We see this new retail product transforming the broadband experience for Irish customers and enabling families, or businesses, to work and play more efficiently.”[/quote] With LightSpeed Broadband products created for both consumers and businesses there is a broad choice to suit all voice and broadband needs. Starting at €40 for the first six months, LightSpeed Broadband offers free modem and installation for all new connections and upgrades. For more information, or to register your interest visit Vodafone's website or call into your local Vodafone store.

Skibbereen, Co. Cork becomes the 51st town as part of SIRO’s rollout.

1Gb connectivity delivered by SIRO in partnership with Vodafone to Ludgate@Skibbereen. SIRO, the ESB-Vodafone joint venture which is delivering Ireland’s first 100% fibre-optic broadband network nationwide, has today announced that Skibbereen will become the 51st town to be included in its national rollout. The announcement was made as part of National Digital Week at Ludgate@Skibbereen, which has been connected to SIRO’s 1 gigabit network in partnership with Vodafone. Construction on the network in the town will commence next summer. Skibbereen was originally selected for a pilot programme to evaluate the potential for a second phase of SIRO’s network rollout that will target small-to-medium sized towns and SIRO has now decided to roll out its network to the whole town. It now becomes the eighth area in Co. Cork to form part of SIRO’s rollout, joining Carrigaline, Ballincollig, Cobh, Mallow, Midleton, Little Island and Cork city. TLI Group was recently awarded the contract to work with SIRO to build the 100% fibre-optic broadband network and they have created 40 jobs for a six month duration as a result of the work. Commenting, Sean Atkinson, CEO of SIRO said: [quote author="Sean Atkinson, SIRO CEO" image="160"]“We are delighted to make Skibbereen our 51st town, revolutionising the broadband experience with our network which is a 100% fibre optic service. Different and better than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland and with no copper connection at any point, SIRO is powered by light, and will power Skibbereen’s digital future.[/quote] Atkinson continued, "We have already delivered 1Gb connectivity to Ludgate@Skibbereen, a key factor in helping the team there to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the West Cork region. Skibbereen will now have the same connectivity as leading international hubs such as Tokyo or Hong Kong, which means that residents and businesses will be able to take advantage of the latest technological developments in areas like remote working and telemedicine. The town’s broadband network will be four times faster than that which is available in Dublin, which will help to attract more people and businesses to the region, as well as entrepreneurs starting their own businesses in Skibbereen.” SIRO is investing €450 million in building Ireland’s first 100% fibre-to-the-building broadband network, offering 1 gigabit connectivity to 500,000 premises in fifty one regional towns, revolutionising the broadband market in Ireland. The service, which will be built on the existing electrical network, will be made available on a wholesale basis to all telecoms retailers. The rollout of SIRO’s network is already currently underway in Sligo city and Dundalk town, with services available from broadband retailers later this year. All homeowners and businesspeople within these two locations who are interested in receiving updates on SIRO’s rollout can register here.

Carrigaline Unveiled As Cork’s First SIRO-Powered Town – 40 Jobs Created.

Carrigaline will be the first of seven Cork locations to receive 1 Gigabit Internet connectivity. SIRO, the ESB-Vodafone joint venture which is delivering Ireland’s first 100% fibre-optic broadband network to 50 towns nationwide, has today unveiled Carrigaline as Cork’s first SIRO-powered town. The announcement was made at an event in the Carrigaline Court Hotel in association with Cork County Council and the Local Enterprise Office, South Cork. The announcement was made by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD. The rollout of SIRO’s network is currently underway in Carrigaline town and services will be available from broadband retailers this winter. The rollout of SIRO’s network will also be extended to Ballincollig, Cobh, Mallow, Midleton, Little Island and Cork city. TLI Group has been awarded the contract to work with SIRO to build the 100% fibre-optic broadband network and they have created 40 jobs for six months as a result of the work. SIRO’s key differentiator is that it is a 100% fibre-optic internet connection, making it different and better than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland, with no copper connection at any point in the network. It will transform the internet experience of businesses, community organisations and consumers in Carrigaline.  For example, a high definition film (4GB) takes one hour to download with a 10mbps internet connection, with SIRO it will take 30 seconds. SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband network will be deployed on ESB’s existing overhead and underground infrastructure, ensuring a fast and cost efficient roll-out to every county in Ireland and reversing the digital divide between the capital and regional towns. SIRO will enable each community that is part of its network to take avail of the latest developments in areas like eCommerce and telemedicine, which will encourage more people to pursue of business opportunities, establish new companies and take advantage of remote working. Better connectivity is a key factor for attracting investment to regions and SIRO’s 100% fibre optic broadband network will put towns like Carrigaline on a par with leading international hubs like Tokyo and Hong Kong. Commenting at the launch, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD said; "It's great news that Carrigaline has been selected as the first town in Munster to be connected to SIRO’s 100% fibre optic broadband network. Not only will this development help attract investment, boost competitiveness and encourage entrepreneurs to set up online businesses, it will also create 40 jobs in Cork during the rollout phase. SIRO will have a transformative effect on Carrigaline by giving our young people better online learning opportunities, enabling more flexible working conditions for residents and better services in homes.  This development by SIRO complements the Government’s own plans to deliver fibre broadband to more than 1,000 rural communities as part of the National Broadband Plan." [quote author="Sean Atkinson, SIRO CEO" image="160"]“We’re delighted that Carrigaline will be the first town in Munster to be connected to SIRO’s 100% fibre optic network, with another six towns in Cork included in the first phase of our rollout.”[/quote] Sean Atkinson, the CEO of SIRO commented; "Every premises in Carrigaline will receive a 1 Gigabit broadband connection, futureproofing them for the internet services of the future. This means that Carrigaline businesses and residents will have a broadband service that is four times faster than what is available in Dublin and on a par with the most advanced cities in the world.  This will play a key role in securing a brighter digital future for Carrigaline, which we are very proud to be a part of." Cllr. Seamus McGrath of Cork County Council who chaired the event said he is; "Delighted SIRO has selected Carrigaline as one of the first towns to roll out its super powerful, 100% fibre to the building broadband.  This presents a great opportunity for Carrigaline and that he has no doubt that it will be a very valuable addition to the local infrastructure.” Today’s announcement follows the August announcement of Skibbereen as a test area for the second phase of SIRO’s rollout.  SIRO is also providing 1Gb connectivity to Ludgate Hub an initiative in Skibbereen which aims to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the West Cork region. SIRO is investing €450 million in building Ireland’s first 100% fibre-to-the-building broadband network, offering 1 Gigabit connectivity to 500,000 premises in fifty regional towns, revolutionising the broadband market in Ireland. The service, which will be built on the existing electrical network, will be made available on a wholesale basis to all telecoms retailers. The rollout of SIRO’s network is already currently underway in Sligo city and Dundalk town.  All homeowners and businesspeople in Carrigaline who are interested in receiving updates on the rollout of SIRO should register for further details here.

Ratheniska, Co. Laois Revealed As Location For SIRO’s Rural Broadband Pilot By European Commissioner Phil Hogan.

100% fibre Optic broadband connectivity to be provided by SIRO to enable one Gigabit broadband infrastructure in Ratheniska. European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan has today announced that SIRO, the ESB-Vodafone joint venture which is delivering Ireland’s first 100% fibre-optic broadband network to 50 regional towns nationwide, has selected Ratheniska, Co. Laois – home of the National Ploughing Championships – as the location for a rural broadband pilot programme. SIRO has chosen Ratheniska as a pilot village to evaluate the potential for rolling out the SIRO network to rural areas in a future phase. 17 premises have been connected to the SIRO network, including 14 homes, Ratheniska National School, the Community Hall and Park Ratheniska GAA club. Announcing the pilot programme in Ratheniska at the National Ploughing Championships, Hogan commented; "The prioritisation of high speed broadband for rural areas is a key objective for his mandate as the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. It is vital that the digital gap between urban and rural areas is closed as high speed broadband connectivity is a major factor for the long term sustainability of rural communities. A future proofed fibre optic broadband network like SIRO’s will enable remote working for people living in rural areas, empower the farming community to take advantage of the latest technological trends and encourage more people to establish online businesses in every corner of Ireland." Sean Atkinson, CEO of SIRO, added; "SIRO's 100% fibre-optic broadband network will revolutionise Ratheniska’s broadband experience and put the village on a par with cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo in terms of connectivity." [quote author="Sean Atkinson, SIRO CEO" image="160"]“Access to our one Gigabit network means that Ratheniska’s broadband infrastructure will be four times more powerful than Dublin. This investment by SIRO is an important complement to the Government’s National Broadband Plan, by a commercial operator, and will further increase the quality of Ireland’s broadband services.”[/quote] Ratheniska was selected due to its proximity to both the national telecommunications hub and the ESB training centre in Portlaoise, its accessibility and its diverse demographic and occupational profile. Participants in the trial will experience 1 Gigabit connectivity, revolutionising the village’s experience of broadband due to SIRO’s key differentiator of a custom built 100% fibre optic service powered by light, making it different and better than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland, with no copper connection at any point in the network. For example, a high definition film (4GB) takes one hour to download with a 10mbps internet connection, with SIRO it will take 30 seconds. SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband network will be deployed on ESB’s existing overhead and underground infrastructure, ensuring a fast and cost efficient roll-out to every county in Ireland and reversing the digital divide between the capital and regional towns. SIRO will enable each community that is part of its network to take avail of the latest developments in areas like eCommerce, remote working and telemedicine, which will encourage more people to live in rural communities, take advantage of business opportunities and establish new companies. The demands of feeding a growing global population represent an exciting opportunity for Irish farmers, SMEs and local industry at the forefront. To meet this challenge, higher yields, better productivity and a greater marriage between traditional farming methods and cutting-edge technology will need to be achieved. However, the new farming applications and smart agriculture that will fuel this growth requires better connectivity and SIRO’s 100% fibre optic broadband network will put rural villages like Ratheniska on a par with leading international hubs like Tokyo and Hong Kong. Sign up for SIRO roll-out updates here.