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Eir started rolling out its 5G network in 2019 and says it has now hit a ‘significant milestone’.
Eir’s 5G network is now available to more than 70pc of people in Ireland. The telecoms provider said its network now spans 336 towns and cities nationwide, across 1,110 sites.
The construction of the network began in October 2019. By September 2020, its 5G was available across 340 sites nationwide. This was an increase of more than threefold in a year.
In April of this year, Eir said its 5G network was available across more than 900 sites, reaching more than half of the population. The 5G service offers speeds of up to 10 times faster than 4G.
“5G isn’t just about faster connectivity, this is future-proof technology that brings with it the power to unlock innovation and benefits for people, businesses, education, communities and governments,” Eir CEO Carolan Lennon said. “Bringing our network to more than 70pc of the population is a significant milestone and we won’t stop there.”
Lennon added that she was “extremely proud of the rapid progress” Eir had achieved in rolling out its 5G network over the past two years. She thanked the network team who “worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic improving and transforming communications” across the country.
The company’s 4G service is also available to 99pc of the Irish population.
Eir competitors Vodafone and Three have also entered the 5G market. Vodafone first made its 5G service available to customers in 2019, while Three began rolling out its 5G network in September 2020.
The construction of 5G networks across Ireland has required infrastructural transformation. But experts have identified the roll-out of 5G nationwide as a key way to deal with the connectivity demands of remote workers and digital-first towns and cities.
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