115,000 rural households lose broadband access as companies divide

More than 100,000 rural households will be the first victims of the disease. split of the consortium that planned to provide broadband to nine Irish cities.

Enet and SSE telecommunications companies – which separated on the national broadband plan separate from the government – gave up their recent commitment to connect 115,000 households and regional businesses to broadband.

The pledge waiver of 100 million means Eir will have a monopoly in the promised areas, mainly in the cities of the west and north-west like Ballinasloe, Roscommon Town, Manorhamilton, Bundoran, Ballyshannon, the town of Donegal, Ballybofey, Stranorlar and Buncrana.

embarrbaded by Communications Minister Denis Naughten, who publicly launched the Enet-SSE broadband program at the end of last year, calling it "ultra-fast broadband ultra-fast broadband" that would ensure sustainability of communities and the development of rural and urban enterprises. Ireland. "He also hailed the" choice and competition "that rural broadband users would derive from the" Enet and SSE Commitment "

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"There is no correlation between the NBP," said a spokesman for Enet. "Enet and members broader consortium are fully engaged in the national broadband plan. "Mr. Naughten's spokesperson was unable to comment

The Regional Broadband Plan of Enet, D & # 39; 39, an area of ​​115,000 dwellings, was distinct from the state-funded National Broadband Plan, which to: connect 540,000 homes and businesses in rural areas.

An agreement between Enet and the government for the state-wide rural plan was to be reached in the coming weeks.

However, the departure of SSE from the Enet consortium This means that the negotiations can now be stretched with more delays in the process.

Despite the setbacks, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar insisted that officials from the Ministry of Communications were "very confident" that the consortium would be able to carry out the project. the SSE output of the group "does not affect the project itself". "We remain confident that we will be able to sign with the preferred bidder in September," he said.

However, there was more news of broadband deployment delays as Eir confirmed that he is behind his commitment to deployment agreed by the government. Under an agreement with the government, Eir has pledged to build 300,000 fiber-connected facilities in parts of rural and regional Ireland by the end of 2018. It will be the middle next year before it 's ending' Ophelia storm was the most violent hurricane in the East Atlantic in 150 years and the impact was not great. was not only a delay in the deployment during and immediately after the storm, but the polarization teams were diverted to the emergency response. on the national telecom network, "said a spokesman for the company." This redeployment lasted more than two months beyond the storm itself. "

However, the company will add 30 000 additional homes, which will bring its commercial fiber deployment to 330,000.

"As Eir proceeded with his rural fiber deployment, he picked up and moved additional premises beyond those agreed with the (department) ", said the spokesperson

" So, although the deployment will be completed late, we will have delivered to 30,000 homes and additional businesses "

" Eir remains engaged in its rural fiber deployment and will complete the project by the end of the first half of 2019.

"This is about six months behind the initial target, but in keeping with a deadline we agreed with the Ministry in the event of unforeseen delays."

The 300 000 local factories t initially part of the government's 840,000 deployment map.

Eir reached an agreement with the Gove Government to cover the premises privately. The government has agreed, with both sides issuing an agreement stating that construction should be completed by the end of 2018.

Irish Independent