SIRO Forms New Partnership With Cork Internet eXchange

SIRO, the wholesale broadband operator building Ireland’s only 100% fibre optic network, has announced a new partnership with Cork Internet eXchange (CIX), which will enable the Cork company to resell services powered by SIRO to fixed broadband retailers. 30,000 homes already receive broadband services from CIX customers, and this new partnership ensures that their clients will be able to access to SIRO’s Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB) technology, which is recognised as the gold standard for broadband connectivity internationally.

CIX is a data centre which provides a fully-resilient network that delivers lightning-speed Internet connectivity to more than 100 Cork companies. The company recently doubled the size of its operations following a €6 million investment to construct a new data centre. The expansion and new partnership with SIRO forms part of Cork Internet eXchange’s strategy to ensure that the Munster region continues to be highly attractive as a location for investment by multinationals.

Using the existing ESB network, SIRO delivers fibre optic cables all the way to the building, enabling the wholesale broadband operator to deliver a 100% fibre-optic internet connection, making it better and more reliable than any other broadband infrastructure in Ireland. Providing symmetrical speeds of 1G, the SIRO network supports upload speeds that are over 50 times faster than traditional copper networks. For business and enterprise customers in Cork, having access to a high speed always –on connection, allowing them to transfer large data files and videoconference in high definition with anyone anywhere anytime, is transformative.

SIRO is offered on an open-access basis to all telecoms retailers in Ireland and its network now has 15 retailers offering connections to over 275 thousand homes and businesses across Ireland, driving competition in the retail market.

Commenting on the new partnership, Jerry McSweeney, CEO of CIX, said: “This is another example of our sustained investment to ensure that Cork Internet eXchange is in a position to provide our customers with the best connectivity in the region. Having doubled in size over the past ten years and quintupling our data capacity, giving access to SIRO’s Gigabit broadband to our clients adds another string to our bow and underlines Cork’s position as the broadband capital of Ireland.”

Alex French of SIRO, added: “SIRO is already powering a digital transformation in Cork as we forge ahead with a €70 million investment in the County. Cork and the wider Munster region is a key focus for our rollout given the wealth of multinationals and Irish firms expanding abroad who all depend on connectivity to power their businesses. This partnership with CIX is a crucial element of our strategy given the firm’s reputation and customer base; ultimately laying the foundation for us to add multiple broadband retailers and foster competition in the region.”