SIRO Rows In To Fibre Up Skibbereen Town Hall

The installation of a full fibre broadband connection at Skibbereen’s Town Hall, has guaranteed that both Olympic rowing events and screenings as part of the Skibbereen Arts Festival can now go ahead at the building. Bringing a full fibre service to the Town Hall came about late last week, following intense co-operation between the team at Ludgate Hub, fibre broadband operator, SIRO, and Cork County Council. On Thursday last, SIRO stepped in, after a request for support from the team at Ludgate Hub, to bring a fibre broadband connection to Skibbereen’s Town Hall.  SIRO’s high speed, full fibre broadband connection ensures the building can now stream Olympic rowing live from Paris to the town’s residents, and visitors alike, over the coming weeks. In addition, as a focal centre for the Skibbereen Arts Festival which kicked off on Friday last, the Town Hall will also be hosting several film screenings, as part of the wider festival programme. These include the 2016 documentary “Pull Like a Dog” which follows Skibbereen Olympic medallists’, brothers Gary and Paul O’Donovan, as they return from the Rio Olympics and the film adaptation of John McGahern’s acclaimed novel “That They May Face the Rising Sun”. With Skibbereen’s Annual Arts Festival taking place from Friday, 26 July to Saturday, 3 August,  festival organisers have installed large screens to live stream both the Olympic rowing events and films and documentaries at the Town Hall, which can hold over 200 people, during the festival. However, organisers found the existing connectivity to the Town Hall did not meet what was required for the live Olympic streaming  and planned festival screenings. Ludgate Hub, which itself is powered by SIRO Gigabit Fibre then approached the broadband operator to see what could be achieved, in the short time frame, to provide fibre broadband to meet the connectivity requirements of the Town Hall. Notwithstanding the extremely tight deadlines, following extensive engagement and teamwork between Ludgate Hub, SIRO and Cork County Council, a fibre broadband connection was installed in the Town Hall premise late on Thursday. Access to a full fibre broadband connection is seen as essential for the longer-term viability and continued development of the Town Hall as a centre point for Skibbereen’s artistic community. It’s hoped that fast and reliable connectivity will allow the Town Hall to expand the facility’s arts activities into the future. Skibbereen Arts Festival Director, Declan McCarthy commented:

“The theme of the Olympics features large during this year’s festival, not least because of Skibbereen’s strong rowing representation at this year’s games. “Being able to provide a public venue for people to come together, watch, and cheer on our rowers as they compete at the Paris Olympics was really important to us. We encourage everyone to drop into the Town Hall over the coming days. “Having SIRO, step in at the last minute, to ensure that we have the connectivity to do that is just terrific and really appreciated. Special thanks goes to the team at Ludgate Hub and Cork County Council also for supporting us in this endeavour”.

SIRO CEO John Keaney noted:

“SIRO has a long-standing relationship with both the team at Ludgate Hub and Skibbereen. It was one of the first towns which we rolled out our full fibre broadband network to, including providing Gigabit connectivity to the Ludgate Hub. “Now the Town Hall will enjoy high quality connectivity, on a par with what many homes and businesses in Skibbereen already enjoy. “We are pleased to be able to provide, despite the tight timeline, the connectivity solutions required. Like everyone, we are wishing all Skibbereen’s rowers best of luck in Paris over the coming days and every success to the Arts Festival”.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Joe Carroll stated:

“There is a fantastic buzz around Skibbereen and the wider west Cork area, with excitement building for the Olympics and the Arts Festival.  We are delighted that Skibbereen Town Hall can now be used as a hub for the Olympic rowing events, particularly with so many local participants.  “The addition of SIRO to the Town Hall will further enhance the facilities there.  I would like to acknowledge the work done by all involved to complete this project in such a short timeframe.  “We in Cork County Council, wish every success to all of the Olympic athletes and continued success to the Arts Festival Committee for another fruitful festival”.

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SIRO, Ireland’s leading fibre broadband network operator, is delighted to announce that the first homes in Bandon can now connect to its 100% fibre broadband network.   With almost 300 premises already passed by SIRO in Bandon, a further 1,000 premises will go live at the end of July. Overall, by the end of 2024, SIRO aims to pass a total 3,000 homes and businesses in Bandon, ensuring widespread access to fast and reliable full fibre broadband.  The areas covered in this phase include, but are not limited to:  Rosewood, Rosewood Rise, Árdán na n-Óglach, Sean Buckley’s Terrace, Connolly Street, and Parnell Street. Residents and businesses in these locations will benefit from enhanced connectivity, with SIRO’s broadband network regarded as one of the most advanced in Europe.  With the rollout in Bandon, SIRO network in County Cork continues to expand. In addition, to its network Cork City, SIRO is already available in towns across the county including Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Youghal, Little Island, Fermoy, Mallow, Midleton, Passage West and Skibbereen.  SIRO is on track to reach over 700,000 premises in towns and cities across Ireland by 2026. Currently, more than 600,000 premises in 135 towns and cities across the country have access to the SIRO network. Overall, SIRO is investing over €1 billion to deliver high-speed, future-proofed broadband throughout Ireland.  Commenting on SIRO’s network rollout in Bandon, SIRO Chief Executive Officer John Keaney said: 

"This is an exciting development for Bandon. We are pleased that our fibre rollout is now going live across the town.   “Our goal is to connect as many homes and businesses as possible to our high-speed fibre network. This will give consumers choice and competition and the opportunity to move away from slow and outdated copper broadband to fast, reliable fibre broadband." 

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Full fibre broadband network operator, SIRO, has called for an integrated, joined-up approach to the forthcoming process of copper broadband switch off. The overall approach must ensure that the hundreds of thousands of individuals and businesses, still dependent on copper devices, experience minimal disruption during the transition to fibre broadband. Copper switch off is where the decades old copper broadband network will be shut down with homes and businesses migrated to full fibre broadband as part of the process. At end 2023, the telecommunications regulator, Comreg, approved the conditions for copper switch off, subject to several provisions, with this process expected to begin shortly. In addition, the European Commission recently published a consultation where it marked 2030 as its preferred deadline by which all copper networks across the EU would switch off.  Ireland will also be required meet this date for the end of copper broadband. An analysis by SIRO has identified that many everyday devices used by homes and businesses remain dependent on copper broadband to function. These devices will all be impacted by the switch off process. Devices include house and security alarms, medical and security monitors, lifts, landline and emergency phones, car park barriers or retail point of sale terminals. While the full quantum of individuals and businesses and their devices impacted have yet to be complied, there is existing data on some which highlight the extent of the issue. Examples include:

• Burglar Alarms: Industry research has found half of Irish homes have burglar alarms (49%), a majority which still use copper technology. This means up to one million homes need to update their house alarms to fibre or mobile technology in the years ahead.
• Seniors Alarm Scheme: These monitored alarms are provided to senior and vulnerable individuals across Ireland to allow them to continue to live independently in their homes. Since 2015, 106,000 senior personal security alarms (approx. 15,000 additional per annum) have been provided to individuals - the overwhelmingly majority of which remain tied to copper landlines.
• SME’s continuing copper dependency: Recent research commissioned by SIRO found that more than half of all Irish businesses remain dependent on a copper broadband connection, with micro businesses (1-10 employees) most likely to be using outdated technology.

To increase awareness of full fibre broadband, SIRO this month has kicked off a nationwide campaign, Fibre First, promoting the benefits of fibre broadband and featuring star of Derry Girls, Siobhán McSweeney. SIRO Chief Commercial Officer, Ronan Whelan noted:

“That we are now on the cusp of starting to switch off slow, outdated copper broadband is hugely positive. It shows the huge and ongoing progress, over the last decade, in rolling out full fibre broadband across Ireland. “The process of transitioning away from copper broadband will take place over several years but it will impact hundreds of thousands of householders and businesses. As a result, it’s vital we start preparing for it now, particularly to ensure minimal end user disruption. “A Stakeholder Taskforce is needed to quantify the scale of the transition; plan what needs to happen; and, to implement and publicly communicate these changes in an ordered and coordinated way to those impacted. “As a country we need to be in solutions mode to ensure this change is planned and supported across a range of end user touch points such as, for example, keeping existing landline numbers or continuity of service on monitored health devices. “The Taskforce must include not just the telecoms industry and Government, but all wider stakeholders such security and alarm, retail and business, health and community group representatives,” added Mr Whelan.

For more information on the copper switch off, visit our dedicated page here.

SIRO, Ireland's leading fibre broadband network operator, has announced the expansion of its high-speed network to Ardee in County Louth. SIRO’s build in the town is underway and is set to connect over 1,500 premises in the town by the end of March 2024. SIRO’s full fibre broadband is already available to over 24,000 premises in Louth in towns such as Dundalk and Drogheda  Areas in Ardee joining SIRO’s fibre network include Campbell’s Park, Dawson's Demesne, John Street, Stoney Lane, Cloughan Bridge, Cloughanvary, Rockfield, Heathergate, Sliabh Breag, Drogheda Road, and  Rathgory.   The construction phase in the town commenced in December 2023, with over 400 premises in Hale Street, Moorehall, Clonmore, The Orchard, Mount View and Dawson's Demesne already live on SIRO’s network.  SIRO has continuously expanded its network throughout County Louth since the first premises in Dundalk were connected to its 100% fibre broadband in 2015. In Dundalk SIRO’s network now reaches over 13,778 premises. More recently, works have been ongoing in Drogheda where now 10,244 homes and businesses have access to fibre broadband. With a network which reaches over 24,000 premises in the County; it means that over 70,000 Louth residents can now avail of SIRO’s fibre broadband offering speeds of up to 2 Gigabits.    The roll-out of a full fibre broadband network in Ardee is part of SIRO’s ongoing network expansion, targeting more than 700,000 premises in towns and cities across Ireland by 2026.   To date, over 550,000 premises in 135 towns across the country can access the SIRO network. The company is investing more than €1 billion in delivering high speed, future proofed broadband across Ireland.  SIRO John Keaney Chief Executive Officer, noted:   

"Since SIRO first began rolling out Gigabit broadband to Louth residents in 2015, we have experienced huge demand for reliable and trustworthy connectivity from individuals, communities and businesses in Louth.  “Our expansion into Ardee reflects our continued commitment to delivering high-speed, future-proofed broadband and to make advanced connectivity accessible to even more Louth households and businesses."

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Thursday 19th of October marks National Women's Enterprise Day. This enterprise event promotes, encourages and stimulates female entrepreneurship across Ireland. In celebration of National Women's Enterprise Day, we spoke to Lorraine Gribbons, Managing Director at Fastcom, who talks us through the challenges and rewards of her journey as an entrepreneur.

Background of Business

Founded in 2004, Fastcom is one of Ireland's largest independently owned telecoms providers with customers across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the US. The company partners with over ten infrastructure providers to offer the widest range of broadband connectivity and communications solutions to customers in various sectors, including government, healthcare, retail, logistics, and education. Fastcom is one of SIRO's retail partners and has over 1,500 customers across Ireland.

Tell us about your business?

Our business is Fastcom Broadband, a telecoms provider based in Sligo and serving customers across the country. We serve the business and domestic markets, providing broadband, phone and cyber security services. We have a huge range of customers of various sizes and operating in many different industries. We cater for all and can provide the flexibility that many of our larger competitors cannot, especially for our business customers.

What motivated you to start your own business?

My husband, Ross, started Fastcom back in 2004. I was working in Dublin training with KPMG to be a Chartered Accountant at the time. I moved back to Sligo and worked in an accountancy practice as a manager for several years before joining Fastcom in 2016. I was always involved in the background from when the business was set up, taking the next step to become CEO was the next step for me. It has been so personally rewarding to see Fastcom grow throughout the years to where we are now.

What has been the biggest challenge or learning for you?

I suppose my biggest challenge was that I was an accountant and not a "techie" and was operating in a very technical industry. In my training as a Chartered Accountant, I would have seen a wide range of clients, so I had great exposure on the side of running a business. Still, it did take me a while to get my head around the technical side of the business. We are fortunate to have a great team here now who have the expertise and skills necessary to keep that side running smoothly all the time.

What advice would you give women thinking about starting their own business?

I think just to go for it. If starting a business and working for yourself is something you are passionate about, you have to give it a go. It can be tricky sometimes, but the rewards are more than worth it.

Finally, as a company's CEO providing broadband connectivity, what are the key ways technology can help women in business?

One key element is the flexibility it can provide for working. Everyone experienced that when COVID hit, and we all had to make the shift and work remotely from what we would all have known as a standard office environment. Connectivity unlocks technology that can make all our lives easier. From the perspective of running a business and juggling all the responsibilities that come with that have a secure fibre broadband connection is a first step. From there, there are multiple digital tools which can help to enhance your productivity and allowing you to focus on business priorities vs. getting weighed down with important but time-consuming administrative tasks. AI is just one really exciting tool which is now beginning to gain traction and become embedded in business, and which is likely to really change how business operates – but in a positive way! To read more on SIRO's sustainability efforts and how we encourage equity in the workplace, click here.

At SIRO, we understand the needs and requirements of broadband for businesses across Ireland. Whether you're uploading files and data to the cloud, to using EPOS systems in a busy restaurant, we provide a full scalable broadband to suit your business. We sat down with Kieran Clifford of Island Computers, to better understand the broadband requirements he sees his clients requiring and why more businesses are making the switch to SIRO.

SIRO For Hospitality

We understand that keeping your guests happy and entertained is your top priority to drive loyalty. We can help you choose the best connectivity to ensure that your guests enjoy a wonderful experience. Ensure your guests can stay connected, your employees can access booking and payment systems seamlessly, and facilitate high quality streaming across TV's. Our network is built on the ESB network so you know you can rely on it. Island Computer is an IT Services company, working with small to medium sized enterprises in West Cork & Kerry in the hospitality sector. One SME which Island Technologies provides IT support and advice to is the Sheahan Group. This family hospitality company own and operate several pubs and hotels in the Southwest region. These include Hilliards, Social 15, The PorterHouse, Whitegates Hotel amongst others. There are currently ten clients of Island Computers use SIRO full fibre enterprise broadband services. Viatel is their ISP (Internet Service Provider) on the SIRO network. [caption id="attachment_8434" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Kieran Clifford, Technical Director, Island Computers[/caption]

Why did your company/client make the switch to fibre?

“VDSL was not providing the service that we needed. When you are dependent on using things like EPOS, Credit Cards, CCTV Systems and especially with COVID, we had to validate people’s certs to ensure they were vaccinated, reliable internet is required.  Fibre to the premises, along with a managed services through Viatel was an ideal solution."

Can you give us an example of how SIRO’s fibre was a benefit to your business?

“Before we had SIRO, VDSL would only work until 3p.m.  We were constantly refreshing pages or credit card machines were not working. It was an extremely frustrating experience. Our staff had better things to be doing than refreshing credit card pages.” “So, we decided to trial SIRO and Viatel’s fibre connection initially from one of the busiest premises, having 600-700 people in per night. This was Reidy’s of Killarney. It was a huge success. After that, we rolled it out to McSorely’s and Social 15, which were heavily populated at the weekends. “In our own place of work, we are very much cloud based. We are big users of 365 and Azure. The back end and marketing rely on the technology. We are so dependent on fibre broadband. Since the investment with SIRO and Viatel, we found that our productivity has improved as the broadband provides a smoother experience. The great thing about working with Viatel is that there is two-way communication, so we can coordinate maintenance and make those accommodations to avoid delays.”

Are there any other aspects of the business where SIRO’s fibre broadband improved your operations?

“In areas such as remote monitoring and security, the upload speed was invaluable to us. The synchronous connection allows us to monitor and receive stream images in full HD quality. There is no question about blurry images or video streams that are not focusing correctly. It is allowing us to get real time metrics on the business. e.g., from the EPOS, Attendance, Management Systems, Aircon.”

Would you recommend SIRO’s business products to others who are looking for better broadband?

“Absolutely. One of the huge advantages we found with using SIRO is the flexibility. We are using VYPE and getting rid of the PBXs. We are now using cloud-based comms and IM like Zoom and Teams, and using cloud, remote, and virtual technology, so SIRO is the way to go. It supports all that technology and opens us up. What may seem like an investment at the start, will see a return very quickly. For the businesses I am providing support for, that return came instantly. I was thinking “wow, where would we be without it. Why didn’t we have it two years ago?” “Killarney is a tourist town; you can have 20,000 people here at any Bank Holiday weekend. We need SIRO broadband. Everyone is using social media and uploading content. If you are not in that bubble, you are going to be very disconnected. It is a huge plus to be able to engage with our audiences in that sense too. It needs to be something people can adapt to. I would highly recommend SIRO for Business products. We just cannot wait for the next iteration. When can we get the 2GB and 10GB synchronous speeds?” Businesses across Ireland deserve a broadband connection they can rely on. SIRO 100% Fibre Broadband is a weatherproof, fully scalable connection that will allow your businesses to prosper, giving you one less thing to worry about for your business. To find out more about SIRO for your business, search your Eircode today and get in touch with our Business Development team. [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 delighted to announce we will be expanding our network to Leitrim during 2023. Carrick-on-Shannon is the latest town to benefit from our full fibre network. The roll out will include over 1,800 homes and businesses in Carrick-on-Shannon as part of our full fibre broadband roll out to Leitrim. The build works commenced in April of this year, with the rollout of the area expected to complete in Q4 2023. [caption id="attachment_8218" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] SIRO representatives pictured with members of Carrick on Shannon Town Committee and Leitrim County Council officials.[/caption]

Where is SIRO rolling out to in Carrick-on-Shannon?

Areas within Carrick-on-Shannon that will be covered under our 100% fibre roll out include (but are not limited to): Oaklands Manor, Cara Court, Autumn View, Summerhill Grove, Glenpatrick, Shannon View, Shannon Lodge, Cnoc na Sí, Marina Road, Elysian Meadows, Ath na Rí, Maigh Glas. The roll-out of a full fibre broadband network in Carrick on Shannon is part of our ongoing network expansion, targeting 770,000 premises in 154 towns and cities across Ireland. To date, over 490,000 premises in 126 towns across the country can access the SIRO network. [caption id="attachment_8219" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Pictured President of Carrick on Shannon Chamber of Commerce Colm McGrath and SIRO Director of Corporate Affairs Amanda Glancy.[/caption]

Who can I order SIRO Broadband with?

Homes and businesses can order SIRO 100% fibre broadband from our network of retailers, including Vodafone, Airwire, Sky, Pure Telecom, Digiweb, Viatel, Blacknight, Fastcom and Telcom. SIRO 100% fibre is available to both homes and businesses within Carrick-on-Shannon, with speeds of up to 2 gigabits per second available for homes in the area, and up to 10 gigabits for enterprise connections. SIRO, founded back in 2015, is a joint venture company between ESB and Vodafone, 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. Commenting on the announcement, SIRO CEO, John Keaney, said:

“Today’s announcement for Carrick-on-Shannon is part of SIRO’s wider efforts to bring resilient, scalable, fibre broadband to towns across Ireland. We are pleased to be expanding our network to reach Leitrim’s County town as part of our ongoing network expansion. “At SIRO, we understand both the need and huge demand for fast and high-quality broadband for homes and businesses today. Having access to reliable connectivity enables Carrick-on-Shannon to become a more attractive place to live and work.” “With SIRO’s broadband network available in Carrick-on Shannon, residents and businesses will have access to one of Europe’s most advanced and future proofed networks. It will   facilitate hybrid working for employees, reducing the need for unsustainable commutes to larger towns and cities. “For employers they can use cloud and digital technologies for the smooth running of their company networks. Local businesses will be able to thrive as faster and seamless online payments and orders, such as in the hospitality sector, can be smoothly facilitated.”

Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, Councillor Ita Reynolds Flynn, stated:

“I am delighted to see this announcement today that SIRO are rolling out Fibre Broadband in Carrick on Shannon ensuring a 100% fibre connection to over 1800 homes and businesses in the area. The local authority welcome the SIRO installation as it will have significant economic benefits for the area supporting faster and seamless connectivity as well as giving confidence to businesses in their use of digital technologies and supporting their company networks and hybrid working opportunities.”

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[caption id="attachment_7972" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Director of The Cube, Caroline Hofman[/caption]   Thursday, 30th March 2023 saw the official opening of the GigaBitHub, The CUBE, by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney. The 10,000 square foot Low Carbon Centre of Excellence is a dedicated centre for the development of new business and economic activity. It’s goal is to support and assist a transition to a low carbon economy for County Laois.   Portlaoise Town has been designated as Ireland’s first ‘Low Carbon Town’ which will serve as a roadmap for the development and rollout of similar low carbon initiatives in other towns around the Country.   This low carbon facility is the first of its kind in the region and is located in the heart of Portlaoise’s Cultural Quarter. It will support and stimulate the development of enterprise and jobs in Laois and the Midlands region.   The CUBE is funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. The project pivots around Government plans and strategic directions, including Project Ireland 2040, the Climate Action Plan to tackle Climate breakdown, and the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024.  The Cube is the 18th GigaBitHub to be announced under SIRO and Vodafone’s GigaBitHub initiative and is the first to open under its second phase.   [caption id="attachment_7971" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] L-R, SIRO Corporate Affairs Director, Amanda Glancy, Charlie Collins, Senior Strategic Partner, VF Business, John Keaney, SIRO CEO, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, Public Sector Account Executive, Ryan Brophy  Lisa Corcoran, Head of SME Business, Vodafone Business Ireland[/caption] Present at the launch included: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Conveney, Minister of State for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Thomasina Connell, SIRO CEO, John Keaney, Cube Tenants, including FRS Recruitment, WrkWrk, and Midlands.ie, Laois County Council CEO, John Mullholland, Enterprise Ireland Divisional Manager, Carol Gibbins, and Head of SME Business at Vodafone Business Ireland, Lisa Corcoran.   [caption id="attachment_7970" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] L-R, Minister of State for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett and Corporate Affairs Director at SIRO, Amanda Glancy[/caption] Speaking on the announcement, the following comments were made:  Speaking at the opening Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney TD said:  

“I am delighted be here today to officially open the CUBE in Portlaoise, Ireland’s first ‘low-carbon’ town. This remarkable state-of-the art facility, will play a central role in enabling the growth of scaling enterprises across the Midlands and further afield, supporting this critical agenda to reduce energy consumption.   The opening of the CUBE, supported by over €2m in funding from my Department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund, will see the positive contribution by low carbon businesses to economic prosperity in the long-term and I believe will serve as a roadmap for the development and rollout of similar low carbon initiatives in other towns around the country.” 

[caption id="attachment_7969" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] L-R SIRO CEO John Keaney, Head of SME Business, Lisa Corcoran, Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Thomasina Connell, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, Divisional Manager & Head of Regions and Local Enterprise, Enterprise Ireland, Carol Gibbins, and Director of The Cube, Caroline Hofman[/caption] Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Thomasina Connell added: 

"Not only will the centre provide support and assist businesses in the transition to a low carbon economy, but it will greatly assist the local community in their efforts to address energy consumption and retrofitting.” 

Commenting on the announcement, SIRO CEO, John Keaney, said: 

“The SIRO-Vodafone GigaBitHub Initiative has connected 18 hubs to date.  “The Cube” is the first GigaBitHub of its kind with a commitment to driving sustainability within its local and regional communities. We’re excited to support “The Cube” in its goal to help Ireland’s journey to carbon neutrality.   It resonates with SIRO’s mission to be Ireland’s greenest broadband network, as SIRO’s full fibre network is inherently more sustainable, requiring less energy and maintenance when compared to copper or cable networks. We’re delighted to support The Cube in its mission in making Portlaoise a low-carbon town."

Sinéad Bryan, Managing Director of Vodafone Business Ireland, added: 

"The Gigabit Hub Initiative was created in order to empower local businesses and communities through connectivity. This connectivity means the people of Laois can benefit from a better work life balance and allow them to pursue their careers within the area they are from, without sacrificing their quality of life or being forced to move to cities or abroad.” 

SIRO is now accepting applications for GigaBitHub applications within our network footprint. For more information, please visit https://siro.ie/about-us/gigabit-hubs/ 

The internet probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sustainability. Instead, you might picture smokestacks, polluting factories, or open pit mines. However, the infrastructure operated to provide broadband requires electricity to power active network equipment and data storage facilities.   Information and communications technology (ICT) is one of the fastest growing greenhouse gas emitting sectors, accounting for 3-5% of global emissions (European Commission 2022), which is on par with the aviation sector. The challenge of the growing energy needs of the ICT sector is being tackled by major companies setting ambitious targets. Microsoft has set a target to be carbon negative by 2030, and Intel have committed to using 100% renewable energy by 2030.  

The role of SMEs in Ireland’s Sustainable Development

We can’t leave it all up to the world’s biggest companies, however. With market pressures, we see big companies turn on a dime and roll back their previously ambitious targets. BP’s profits doubled in 2022, yet the oil and gas company reduced its emissions reduction target for 2030 down to 20-30% from its previous 35-40% target (Reuters). This is where the role of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) comes in.    SMEs are businesses with less than 250 employees. In 2020, Ireland’s SMEs accounted for 99.8% of the total number of enterprises and generated 41.9% of total turnover in the business economy (Irish SME Association). Given their critical contribution to the economy, SMEs are perfectly placed to be sustainability vanguards.   Being small gives SMEs the advantage of agility, with the flexibility to make decisions and implement meaningful changes quickly. SMEs can have a higher exposure to sustainability-related risks compared to larger companies due to their limited influence over supply chain risks and smaller cash reserves. But they also stand to gain more, with the benefits of integrating sustainability as a core value being very clear.   From cost savings and improved efficiencies to higher employee engagement and satisfaction, improved reputation and increased consumer satisfaction, SMEs with a clear sustainability strategy can obtain competitive advantages.   [caption id="attachment_7906" align="aligncenter" width="702"] siro sustainability[/caption]

How Sustainability is a Driver of Innovation for SMEs

SIRO is an SME, and with that there are additional challenges for certain sustainability initiatives due to fewer resources and reduced internal capacity. However, these same conditions can also make SMEs fertile ground for innovation.   Sustainable innovation differs from traditional innovation due to the equal balance given to economic, environmental, and social considerations. Sustainable innovation improves the sustainability performance of a business while simultaneously minimising its impact.   It is becoming increasingly important that SMEs recognise the importance of sustainable innovation as a driver in differentiating their products and services, as this will ultimately improve the company’s prospects in the market. Driven by social changes and cutting-edge technology, sustainable innovation in SMEs can be quickly investigated and adopted given the short pipeline between employees and decision-makers.   Sustainability in innovation benefits everyone. For SMEs, innovation enhances their competitive edge leading to enhanced market opportunities and in turn increasing their business’ resilience (which further increases the business’ sustainability and so on). On the other hand, as products and services continue to improve, this positively impacts on consumers’ social and economic development. Digital technology is a particularly important driver for sustainable innovation, as well as an enabler for innovations that contribute to social and economic challenges.   For example, as SIRO’s network grows, access to fibre to the home broadband  is made available to many homes and small businesses that were previously not serviced, opening digital transformation opportunities for these communities.  

Building Resilient, Reliable, And Sustainable Infrastructure

SIRO is committed to providing broadband connectivity to as many people across Ireland as possible, while improving the sustainability of our infrastructure at the same time.   SIRO’s network is being built using ESB’s existing infrastructure, limiting our footprint, and removing excessive resource consumption at the design stage. Continuous innovations in fibre to the home technology increasingly contribute to a sustainable broadband future.  SIRO is deploying an XGS-PON fibre network, technology that supports high-speed 10 gigabit per second data transfers. By delivering this now, we can avoid a future upgrade cycle, eliminating unnecessary waste and materials.   We have embedded a future-proof approach through the delivery of XGS-PON, which also provides higher bandwidth with lower energy consumption requirements. Sustainability goes beyond just the physical footprint and environmental impact of an organisation’s infrastructure however, encompassing the three pillars of environment, social and governance.  By deploying XGS-PON we are providing greater reliability for our communities due to the absence of active network elements, improving access and affordability in an equitable way.  

Opportunities For SMEs To Pursue Sustainability

The limited internal capacity and resources available to SMEs doesn’t prevent action on sustainability, but it does require a targeted approach. You can’t boil the ocean. Instead of trying to act on everything, reflect on the business’ priorities by identifying what topics matter most to your stakeholders and where your business stands to make the greatest impact. A materiality assessment is a great tool to use to begin this process.   Once you know what matters, select a limited number of meaningful goals to track your progress against, rather than spreading your resources too thin. For example, SIRO has a “Science-Based Target” which provides an option for SMEs to set an emissions reduction target that is in line with what climate science deems necessary. Finally, by focusing on transformative change and collaboration with peers, SMEs can be on the frontlines of sustainability.   SMEs cannot afford to be unsustainable, with greater exposure to sustainability-related risks due to their size and reduced resilience compared to larger companies. Sustainability-driven innovation provides a key opportunity for SMEs to differentiate their products and services. Going further than just being value-adding, sustainability can be harnessed by SMEs to access new markets, improve consumer confidence, increase employee engagement and satisfaction, and attract and retain talent.  [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode Today" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Broadband is an essential part of our everyday lives. It allows us to connect with friends, to work from home and to relax with our smart devices. With so much information out there about broadband, it can be confusing to know which internet connection is best for your needs. You might be thinking what kind of broadband can I get? Fibre broadband in Ireland has been around since 2015. Read on to learn five facts about fibre you may not have known.

1 The first national 100% fibre broadband network

The first 100% fibre to the home broadband network in Ireland was launched by SIRO back in 2015. SIRO, in a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone, had the aim of delivering the first fibre to the home network in Ireland, disrupting the then copper dominated broadband market.

2. Growth of fibre network reach across Ireland

Have you ever wondered; can I get fibre broadband where I live? SIRO is now live in more than 90 towns and counting, with an aim to connect 154 towns by 2026, so SIRO’s network footprint may already or soon be available for your home or business soon. As well as this, the fibre broadband market share is growing, with Comreg’s Q3 2022 report showing there were 463k FTTP subscriptions, compared to just 340k FTTP subscriptions in Q3 2021.

3. Speed capabilities

Did you know SIRO was one of the first broadband networks in Europe to fully upgrade to XGS-PON technology, unlocking speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second. One of the main benefits of having fibre broadband is being able to connect as many devices as you need at a time, without delays or lags. This is ideal for working from home, or to facilitate the day to day running of a business… You will no longer be asking yourself why is my broadband so slow?

4. Lowest latency on the market

Latency measures the length of time it takes to transfer data from one source to another. SIRO’s fibre broadband boasts some of the lowest latency on the market, with a ping of 20 milliseconds. This makes it perfect for online gaming, streaming in 4k and 8k, and video calls. Low latency allows you to stay connected and to download files and applications quickly.

5. Weather resistant broadband

Can weather affect fibre optic broadband? Many are under the assumption that their broadband can be affected by stormy weather. Thankfully, this isn’t a worry for those who have a SIRO fibre broadband connection. Fibre is much more weather proofed than other broadband types on the market. Fibre makes use of light to transmit data contrary to copper, which is more vulnerable to storms and other climate impacts. Fibre in Ireland is here to stay. SIRO is rolling out the next generation of broadband in Ireland across 154 towns. It’s resiliency, speeds and reliability are unmatched. With the above in mind, the next step is to find out if SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband is available to your home or business. [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode Today" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]