SIRO connects 10,000 additional homes and businesses across Galway city to fibre broadband over last 6 months.
SIRO, the joint venture between ESB and Vodafone, has today announced that they have reached a new milestone in Galway city of 25,000 homes and businesses passed. This milestone means that homes and businesses in Galway city and surrounding areas can now avail of the best-in-class fibre broadband connectivity.
Notwithstanding the restrictions due to COVID-19, SIRO has continued its fibre broadband roll-out across Galway city during the pandemic. Over the last six months from September 2020 to end March 2021, SIRO rolled out fibre to 10,000 additional homes and business.
The need for connectivity amidst a global pandemic has motivated the company to further expedite their rollouts wherever possible. Galway residents, like those in every town and city across Ireland over the last 12 months, have had a huge demand for high quality broadband to enable remote working and trading online for local businesses, home schooling, movie and video streaming or online shopping.
Nationally, SIRO has passed 375,000 homes and businesses right across regional Ireland.
In July 2019, SIRO commenced a €20m investment in rolling out the gold standard of connectivity to homes and businesses in Galway city, as part of its wider national fibre rollout programme. Less than two years on, SIRO’s fibre network is now available right across the city from east to west including: Oranmore and Oranhill, Roscam and Renmore, Ballybrit and Ballybane, Castlegar, Mervue and Salthill, Rockbarton, Shantalla and Rahoon, and Knocknacarra to Kingston.
Tricia McElligott, SIRO’s Build Manager, responsible for the rollout of fibre in Galway remarked:
“Hitting the milestone of 25,000 homes and businesses passed in the city; and 10,000 over the last six months alone, is significant. Access to high quality broadband has never been so important to our communities and businesses. It has provided a lifeline to Galway businesses allowing them to trade online while their doors have remains closed, individuals to continue to work and for families and loved ones, physically separated, to remain virtually connected.
“SIRO’s build team is incredibly proud to have played a small part in keeping Galway’s businesses and communities connected, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic”.
SIRO’s fibre-optic cables are faster and more reliable than copper cables, and households as well as businesses can now avail of speed up to 1Gb. Once connected, customers can choose from a variety of operators who are serving Galway city. The five operators available for homeowner are Digiweb, Sky, Vodafone, Airwire, and Pure Telecom. While four operators are available for businesses which are Digiweb, Viatel, Vodafone and Airwire.
Commenting on the announcement, SIRO’s CEO John Keaney noted:
“Old copper networks are no longer fit for purpose and are leaving homes and businesses in the slow lane. Across Ireland, reliable and fast internet with higher bandwidth is a necessity not luxury which adds an enormous responsibility in the work that we do.
“Galway has always been a great and vibrant city. Fibre broadband provides a strong foundation for the continued development of the city and its businesses post-Covid, with enhanced connectivity also futureproofing the city for decades to come. So, the rollout of fibre in Galway city is an important part of SIRO’s ambitious plan for the country.
“For SIRO, our roll-out is continuing but we’d urge all homeowners and businesses struggling with online connectivity to check if fibre broadband is now available in their area.”
Search your Eircode today and see if your home or business is SIRO ready.