Poor Broadband Risks Holding Back Cork Businesses, New Research Finds

Cork businesses who are still reliance on outdated and slower copper broadband are at risk of reduced productivity, increased employee frustration and dissatisfied customers, according to newly published research.  

The independent research, commissioned by 100% fibre broadband operator, SIRO, examined the impact of poor broadband connectivity on business productivity, employee engagement and customer experience.   

Nationally, 34% of workers say they have experienced slow broadband at work, while one-in-four (25%), report poor broadband is directly affecting their ability to do their job effectively.  

A significant majority, almost 60%, of respondents felt that their home broadband was better than their broadband at their workplace. 

Customers are equally dissatisfied with over half of respondents (56%) in Munster reporting they have experienced poor and slow broadband at businesses with 22% saying they either would not or would be unsure of returning to a business with bad connectivity.  

SIRO has responded to the connectivity challenges faced by Irish SMEs, by launching a new full fibre product tailored specifically for this business sector. The product, known as LightPulse, provides 1 Gigabit download speeds and a boosted 250 Megabit upload speed over SIRO’s full fibre-to-the-premises network. It also comes with a service level agreement to ensure continuity of service. 

SIRO’s campaign launch features St. Anne’s Church Shandon Bells & Tower, one of Cork’s most iconic attractions and the oldest church in the city still in continuous use. After experiencing slow and unreliable broadband which often disrupted booking and payment systems. St. Anne’s upgraded to SIRO’s LightPulse product, supported by broadband retailer Digiweb. 

The change for St. Anne’s has been transformative. Payment and booking systems now run seamlessly, the network supports more devices without issue, and the team no longer worries about connectivity getting in the way of serving visitors. 

SIRO’s LightPulse product offers a bespoke broadband solution specifically for smaller companies, providing them with the high speeds and ongoing connectivity support essential for their daily business operations.  

SIRO is rolling out its full fibre broadband network across Cork City and county, working with retail partners including Digiweb, Vodafone, Viatel, Blacknight, Ivertec, and Fastcom to deliver connectivity solutions for SMEs. 

Marisa O’Mahony, Tower Manager at St. Anne’s Church Shandon Tower & Bells commented:  

“Reliable broadband is vital for running our booking and payment systems smoothly, so making the switch to LightPulse, powered by SIRO, has been a big success for us.” 

“Since upgrading, our payment and booking systems run seamlessly, and we no longer worry about connectivity holding us back. For any business struggling with unreliable broadband or needing to support more devices, we would highly recommend LightPulse”. 

Commenting on the findings, SIRO’s Head of Enterprise, Aoife O’Reilly noted: 

“This independent research confirms the fact that Irish business, particularly smaller businesses, are still relying on outdated copper connections which can no longer support their business needs. 

“What is worrying for the longer-term growth and viability of these businesses, particularly in an era of connectivity-hungry AI, is that their poor connectivity is now affecting their workers and customers – both of which are fundamental to the success of any business. 

“It’s understandable with businesses challenged by a multitude of issues that connectivity can get left on the long finger, but today’s research clearly shows that poor broadband is now having a direct impact on the performance and growth of many Irish businesses. 

“Copper switch off is drawing ever closer, so rather than find themselves at a cliff edge, Irish businesses should check that they can avail of full fibre connectivity and proactively make the switch. Our research clearly shows that their employees, customers and bottom line will thank them for making the move,” added Ms. O’Reilly.