Open Eir technician Colin Kennelly and Open Eir Wholesale managing director Eavann Murphy. Image: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography
Eir plans to have 1.9m homes and businesses, or 84pc of premises in the country, connected to its gigabit fibre network by 2026.
Eir has said today (25 April) that more than 800,000 homes and businesses across Ireland now have access to its gigabit fibre network.
As part of a €1bn five-year capital investment programme launched in 2018, Eir planned to invest €500m in a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network expansion in Ireland.
The telco said its expansion work has continued at pace during the pandemic, with 400,000 homes added during that time.
Last April, Eir said its gigabit fibre network was available in 79 towns and villages. The company announced plans to add a further 200,000 premises to the network last August.
By 2026, it expects 1.9m homes and businesses, or 84pc of premises in the country, to be connected to its gigabit fibre network.
“Our purpose is to connect for a better Ireland, and we do this by building world-class fibre networks for the people of Ireland,” Open Eir Wholesale managing director Eavann Murphy said.
“Gigabit connectivity is enabling a truly connected country, opening up opportunities for people to live, work and connect wherever they choose in Ireland, and I am very proud that we are building this wholesale fibre network for all of Ireland,” Murphy added.
Eir said that its network, combined with the National Broadband Plan (NBP), would help Ireland become one of the most fibre connected countries in the world.
The multibillion-euro NBP aims to connect more than 1.1m people across 544,000 homes, businesses, farms and schools in Ireland. The first premises was connected to the network at the start of 2021, but the roll-out has faced delays and criticism.
Meanwhile, Eir has also been expanding its 5G network. The telco announced this month that 5G roaming is now available for customers travelling in 34 countries around the world, and that its 5G network at home now extends across 1,250 sites in 450 towns and cities in Ireland.
A report last month by network intelligence company Ookla said Eir is the “clear winner” in 5G availability in Ireland compared to other providers.
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