The border town of Stranorlar in Donegal is the latest to be hooked up to SIRO’s gigabit broadband, with the connection of its digital hub at the Base Enterprise Centre to the fibre network.
The DigiHub is a new 1,600 sq ft facility at the enterprise centre, itself a 19,000 sq ft space built in 2015, and was developed as part of the Digiwest programme.
The DigiHub, located at Railway Road, has a range of options available for remote workers, startups and established businesses, with hot desk and startup space on flexible arrangements, office units of various sizes, training facilities, and meeting rooms.
With 23 desks available for short-term or casual hire, the hub can accommodate more than 20 tenants in addition to the business units available for permanent hire, with capacity to accommodate an additional 50 or more tenants.
The Base Enterprise Centre is a creation of social enterprise BASICC, dedicated to the regeneration of the twin towns of Ballybofey and Stranorlar.
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BASICC chair Kieran Doherty said: “In order for the area to flourish, we have to be able to connect to any part of the world instantly, and Gigabit connectivity means that we have the same world class broadband that is available in international hubs like Tokyo or Singapore.
"So we are delighted to be part of SIRO’s Gigabit Hub initiative, as it will help us to keep people hare who had been working remotely in the area during the pandemic and attract more people back to the Finn Valley.”
SIRO is a partnership of the ESB and Vodafone and provides 100% fibre-only connectivity at up to 1GB speeds. The venture is investing €450m in its network, which makes use of ESB’s existing electrical network, and which now covers more than 400,000 homes and businesses in 64 towns.
SIRO chief executive John Keaney added: “The trend of migration and commuting from towns and villages across Ireland to cities is reversing, with more people returning to the regions as a result of the pandemic. By delivering Gigabit connectivity to the Base Enterprise Centre, we have made remote working a reality for more than 70 professionals, ensuring it’s as easy to do business in the Finn Valley as anywhere else in the country.
“Digital hubs drive a broader local startup culture, stimulating wider job creation in the towns in which they are located. They offer the potential to create high-value and sustainable jobs in our regions.”
Pic: Clive Wasson
