From left: Peter Evans, BT Ireland; Paul Connell, Pure Telecom; and Ronan Whelan, Siro. Image: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography
The deal comes as Pure Telecom says it has seen a 30pc increase in demand for broadband services since the Covid-19 outbreak.
Pure Telecom will now be able to expand its broadband reach in Ireland due to a new multimillion-euro deal with BT Ireland.
The €10m deal will give the telecom company access to Siro’s nationwide fibre broadband network at a time when demand for high-speed internet access has risen due to Covid-19 and the increase in remote working. Pure Telecom says it has seen a 30pc increase in demand for its broadband services since the pandemic began.
The Siro fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network covers more than 338,000 homes and businesses in 45 towns around Ireland.
Pure Telecom’s CEO, Paul Connell, said too many homes and businesses in Ireland don’t have fast internet access, which he believes is “detrimental to our society and economy” particularly at a time when so many people are working from home.
“We have observed a significant increase in demand for our services since Covid-19 restrictions were introduced and we expect these to have a permanent impact on how people work and where. It has therefore never been more important for people to have the high-speed connectivity they need to work productively from their homes,” he said.
Last year, Pure Telecom signed a similar €12m deal with Enet, allowing it to offer high-speed broadband to up to 242,000 premises in regional towns across Ireland.
The digital divide
Siro’s chief commercial officer, Ronan Whelan, said the latest agreement between Pure Telecom and BT Ireland is helping to “combat the digital divide” in Ireland and that it is “great news for residential and business customers throughout the country”.
Siro has been steadily expanding its reach in Ireland over the last number of years. Under an agreement in September of this year, Siro partnered with ESB Telecoms to install high-speed ethernet services for Irish operators in 13 urban centres.
In August 2019, Siro announced that it would be providing its services to The Brewery in Louth, making the site Ireland’s first business park to run entirely on gigabit broadband. The wholesale broadband provider has 11 retailers offering connections to more than 328,000 homes and businesses across Ireland.
