Communications minister Richard Bruton has announced that the sole bidder for the contract to implement the National Broadband Plan has been chosen as the ‘preferred bidder’.

The bid by consortium National Broadband Ireland comes in at more than €6 billion, of which €3bn will be contributed by the taxpayer, Bruton said.

The consortium, led by Granahan McCourt, plans to bring broadband to 540,000 premises in mostly rural areas with no current access to high-speed connections. The network will be wholesale and open access, and people living and working in the areas covered “will be able to buy the same services, at the same prices, as those living in other parts of the country that are currently connected outside of the scheme”.

Fibre to the home will be used to guarantee minimum speeds of 150Mbps, increasing to a minimum 500Mb by year eleven.

Key sub-contractors named by NBI include Nokia as a data networking and telecommunications equipment company, and E-net, Ireland’s largest open-access network operator, which manages the state-owned Metropolitan Area Networks.

In Association with

More than 40 contractors have been lined up. These include the Kelly Group, Denis O’Brien’s Actavo, and KN Group in the construction phase.

NBI chief executive Peter Hendrick said: “We have built a team which brings together some of the best and brightest minds in the telecoms industry. This team has developed an infrastructure plan that ensures the rural digital divide is consigned to the past."

When complete, the NBP will allow broadband access to 1.1 million people, or 23% of the population, including 56,000 farms and 44,000 businesses, as well as 674 primary schools plus community facilities and sports clubs. 

Granahan McCourt chief executive David McCourt added: “We are delighted to have been appointed as the Preferred Bidder to deliver this life-changing infrastructure. Over the past 30 years, our people have led the funding, financing and management of over €40bn in infrastructure assets and we’re proud to bring this experience and knowledge to this broadband plan.”

Richard Bruton commented: “The state has invested just €400m in broadband from 2002-2016. In the period 2002-2021, €36.9bn will have been invested in roads and €10.8bn in water infrastructure.”

The minister added that deployment of the network will commence once contracts are signed, which is expected in Q4 2019.

In Year 1, the proposed deal envisages c. 300 broadband connection points (hotspots) providing free WiFi in local communities supporting digital work hubs in every county. Year 2 will see connections to 120,000 premises covered and 70,000-100,000 premises each year thereafter. The network won't be all fibre:  2%  to 5% premises will get their connection via wireless.

NBI says its network will involve using over 1.5 million poles, 15,000km of underground ducts, up to 146,000km of new fibre cable running along 100,000km of the road network.

The initial connection charge and the monthly charges from service providers to the individual living in rural Ireland will be similar to those paid by residents in urban areas.

According to the Dept. of Communications,  fibre to the premises is the most appropriate approach for the NBP Intervention and that 5G Fixed Wireless Access may be used in only very specific circumstances. In addition, 4G and 5G networks cannot match the bidder's proposed FTTP solution in respect of cost, quality of service, deliverability and future proofing.

Photo: Peter Hendrick (left) and David McCourt

Broadband County Coverage Statistics Q4 2018

*These figures represent planned rural deployment and will reduce once premises are passed