SIRO has announced that its high-speed fibre broadband service is now operational in every county in the Republic after going live in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
The ESB-Vodafone joint venture has rolled out its network to over 620,000 premises in a total of 142 towns and cities, and it is now the second-largest full-fibre broadband network in Ireland.
SIRO offers speeds of up to 2Gbps for residential customers and up to 10Gbps for enterprises, but the network has the capacity to scale to 25Gbps when required.
The addition of Carrick-on-Shannon to the network forms part of SIRO's €1bn investment in a future-proofed broadband infrastructure.
The company is on track to meet its commitment of reaching over 700,000 premises by 2026.
“Bringing full fibre broadband to Carrick-on-Shannon marks a major milestone for SIRO as our network’s footprint now extends to every county in Ireland," said John Keaney, CEO of SIRO.
"Carrick on Shannon joining the wider SIRO network across the north-west region puts the town on a par with its neighbours in Sligo, Cavan, Donegal, Longford and Roscommon, ensuring that it has world-class connectivity and remains a great place to live and work.”
Amanda Nelson, CEO of Vodafone Ireland, noted: “We are delighted to mark this milestone today in Carrick-on-Shannon and that with SIRO, our joint venture with ESB, we now deliver high speed gigabit broadband to every county in Ireland.
"Since launching in 2015 we have been delivering connectivity to people, businesses, and communities right across Ireland, while also offering greater competition within the market.
“We are proud to be providing high-speed connectivity to homes and businesses and empowering local businesses, entrepreneurs, and remote workers in the community with the tools they need to thrive in a digital world.”
Marguerite Sayers, deputy CEO of ESB, added: “With recent expansion of the network to Carrick-On-Shannon, I warmly welcome the milestone of SIRO’s availability in every county of Ireland.
"It marks a significant collective achievement for ESB, our partners in Vodafone and of course the hard-working SIRO team.
"In less than ten years, the Joint Venture has brought access to ultra-fast fibre broadband connectivity to 620,000 families and small businesses across regional Ireland and is entirely in keeping with ESB’s commitment to the communities we serve.”
Justin Farron, director of services, economic development, planning and infrastructural services for Leitrim County Council, said the launch in Carrick-on-Shannon means that 800 premises can now connect to the network, and a further 800 will follow in the coming months.
"The local authority welcomes the SIRO installation and the economic benefits it has the potential to bring to the area by strengthening connectivity and providing confidence to businesses to expand their use of digital technologies," he concluded.
Photo: (l-r) Marguerite Sayers, John Keaney, and Amanda Nelson. (Pic: Supplied)
