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The web hosting company has also developed a reseller platform that will enable regional IT companies to sell broadband.
Having provided fibre broadband to business customers in Carlow and Kilkenny for several years, web hosting company Blacknight is now entering the national broadband market, offering its service to both business and residential customers around Ireland.
The Carlow company expanded its website and online retail offerings last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon said expanding its broadband offering into the home market made sense as many people are now working from home.
“Historically, we’ve focused on the business market and we’ve provided business fibre in Carlow and Kilkenny for several years. We also provide wireless internet in rural Carlow. But the events of the past year have softened the distinction between home and business,” he said.
“As we welcomed new customers and introduced new products for websites and online retail, it was clear to us that companies need to connect their staff as well as reach their customers.”
Blacknight said it is offering fibre broadband at speeds of up to 1Gbps for home and business users, working with infrastructure providers including Siro and Eir.
Larger enterprises can avail of dedicated internet access at speeds up to 10Gbps, with point-to-point connections between multiple sites, or directly into Blacknight’s data centre locations in Carlow and Dublin. There they can access co-located services, and avail of IP transit connectivity with major internet hubs.
The company has also developed a dedicated broadband reseller portal, aimed at getting regional IT companies up and running as an internet service provider.
Neylon said the company’s strategy over the last number of years has been to expand into offering a full suite of internet services to SMEs. “Small businesses don’t have the resources to employ an IT department. It makes sense to outsource these functions, preferably to a single supplier who understands their needs,” he said.
“As a web host, we’ve built our reputation on customer service and the fact that we’ve got real people at the end of the phone line. Our experience shows that SMEs, in particular, value this kind of service.”
