Tag: #boradband

SIRO Launches Broadband Product For Property Developers

Wholesale broadband operator SIRO has announced it is launching a bespoke broadband product  created for developers building new homes across Ireland. SIRO’s new product, OpenPort, will streamline the delivery of fibre broadband services to housing developments by instead providing a shared access broadband infrastructure onsite. This will avoid, as currently occurs, the costly over duplication of telecom infrastructures amongst multiple operators seeking to provide services to new housing estates.

Under forthcoming regulations, the Gigabit Infrastructure Act which will take effect in Ireland from February 2026, developers are required to provide a fibre broadband infrastructure onsite which is accessible to multiple telecoms network operators.

SIRO’s new product, OpenPort, responds to this requirement by providing developers with a shared access fibre broadband service for their new developments, which will be compliant with these regulations.

Currently, to enable multiple operators serve a housing development, developers have been required to accommodate multiple broadband infrastructures onsite.

The negative impact of this method of rolling out fibre broadband in new developments has been the unnecessary duplication of broadband infrastructure onsite. This can lead to not only excessive expenditure, but also the avoidable use of limited site space to facilitate these multiple infrastructures.

With SIRO’s OpenPort, developers will still be able to accommodate multiple fibre broadband operators on their developments but with the advantage of using a single network infrastructure, substantially reducing the cost of deploying fibre broadband networks to new homes across the country. A developer moving to SIRO’s OpenPort product will also enjoy environmental benefits by reducing the construction works needed to facilitate fibre broadband rollouts.

For homeowners and tenants, they will continue to enjoy choice and competition by maintaining access to multiple telecoms retailers.

SIRO has announced that its first OpenPort new development site will be at Monaleen in Limerick city. The development, known as The Orchard, is being constructed by one of Ireland’s leading developers, Homeland, and will see 131 new homes constructed at the site. These homes are expected have first occupancy by Spring 2026.

With Homeland Group’s The Orchard development, the first new development to adopt OpenPort, SIRO has confirmed that the product will be available to all developers from 2026 onwards.

Commenting on OpenPort, SIRO CEO John Keaney said: “Delivering fast and future proofed fibre broadband infrastructure and services to new homes is a small but essential part of the construction of new homes overall. A high-quality fibre to the home broadband connection is now a non-negotiable for all homes, supporting how we now live and work.

 “Like all the component parts of developing new homes, rolling out fibre broadband infrastructure comes at a cost – environmental, financial, resource and time – to broadband operators, developers and consumers.”

 “Initiatives, like OpenPort, which can streamline the delivery process, reduce the timelines, and maintain efficiency and effectiveness of building fibre broadband network in new developments are key. By reducing overduplication of broadband networks on new development sites, SIRO’s OpenPort will also give back much needed site space to developers and provide wider sustainability benefits.

 “SIRO is excited to bring this product to market for developers from next year. We have already had incredibly positive feedback from key stakeholders in the construction industry who understand the benefits it can offer,” added Mr. Keaney.

 Homeland Construction Director Mike Quaid added:

“Homeland has worked with SIRO to deliver fibre broadband to our new homes across the country for several years now. The construction industry is constantly challenged to innovate, build more sustainability and efficiently, whilst maintaining affordability for home buyers. In terms of delivering fast, reliable and future proofed full fibre broadband for our home buyers and tenants, we see the huge potential of SIRO’s OpenPort to meet these objectives.”

SIRO is a wholesale network operator, rolling out a fibre to the premise network across Ireland now available to almost 700,000 premises in 143 cities and towns. It network is built on the ESB’s existing electricity network, utilising both its overhead and underground ducting infrastructure.

SIRO and Ivertec have announced rollout 10 Gigabit broadband service in Killarney

Fibre broadband network operator, SIRO, and Kerry and Munster broadband retailer, Ivertec, have announced the rollout of a 10 Gigabit broadband service in Killarney. SIRO’s first 10 Gigabit connection in the region.

The service is designed to enhance Ivertec’s existing fibre broadband offering to its significant business customer base.  The 10 Gigabit service allows Ivertec to offer Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) services and improved capacity to local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality and retail sectors, where the need for fast and reliable connectivity is essential.

Critically, the circuit also serves as a resilient backup route for Ivertec’s national network.  This means that if an issue occurs on the network, there is a back-up connection in place to ensure that end user businesses do not experience disruption.

The foundation underpinning Ivertec expanded offering to Kerry and Munster businesses is SIRO’s 100% fibre network, delivering symmetrical speeds. The latter means that businesses can enjoy the same level of upload and downloads speeds, which can be essential for business-critical operations such as video conferencing or uploading data to the Cloud.

10 Gigabit fibre broadband will not only allow Ivertec to meet the needs of its customers today but will also ensure that they can seamlessly continue to provide greater bandwidth and speeds to local businesses, as the latter’s data demands grow into the future.

 Aoife O’Reilly, SIRO’s Head of Enterprise, commented:
“SIRO’s is pleased to partner with Ivertec on 10 Gigabit fibre broadband for its Kerry and Munster customers. The partnership supports growing demand from businesses for dependable, high-speed and future proofed connectivity. It reflects our shared focus on strengthening digital infrastructure in regional areas.”

Gerard O’Sullivan, Ivertec CEO, said:

“We’re delighted to enhance fibre connectivity in Killarney with the launch of a new 10Gb circuit from SIRO. This circuit provides a fully diverse fibre path into our network in the region, complementing our existing backhaul connection between Kerry and Dublin. In the event of any disruption to our primary fibre route, the SIRO circuit ensures uninterrupted service for our customers in the area. This additional layer of resilience is vital for delivering high-availability internet and VoIP services—particularly for the many local businesses that depend on Ivertec for reliable connectivity every day.”

SIRO has announced the rollout of its full fibre network in Sandyford, Dublin.

SIRO, Ireland’s leading 100% fibre broadband network operator, has announced the rollout of its full fibre network in Sandyford, Dublin.

SIRO’s fibre to the premise network will be available to over 2,300 premises – residential and businesses – within the Sandyford area. To date about half of this number of premises can already access SIRO’s network, with the rollout on track to be completed by the end of June. This will deliver future-proofed, reliable and fast broadband to homes and businesses in the area. SIRO’s broadband network provides up to 2 Gigabits for homes and up to 10 Gigabits for business.

SIRO’s rollout represents a large investment in digital infrastructure in Sandyford – one of Dublin’s growing and most vibrant residential and commercial districts.

Sandyford is a thriving commercial centre with more than 1,000 Irish and international companies employing over 6,000 people directly. In parallel, Sandyford’s residential footprint is also growing rapidly, with several new housing developments and an expanding population of over 6,000 residents. Both the number of homes and businesses based in Sandyford is expected to increase further in the coming years. The arrival of SIRO’s future proofed full fibre network marks a timely addition to the area’s infrastructure and overall future development.

Areas included in the SIRO rollout in Sandyford include (but are not limited to) The Edges, Beacon South Quarter, The Cubes, The Forum, Carmanhall Court, The Maple, The Arcs, Beacon One, Time Place, South Central, and The Points.

The Sandyford deployment is part of SIRO’s wider expansion across South Dublin, where the company has invested significantly to bring full fibre broadband to high need, high-demand areas, stretching from Shankill to Stillorgan.

To date, SIRO’s national network has reached more than 650,000 premises across 143 towns and cities, as part of its €1 billion investment. The company is on track to pass over 700,000 premises by 2026, helping to future-proof communities right across Ireland.

Speaking at the launch of SIRO’s network in Sandyford, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora (and T.D. for the area) Neale Richmond noted:

“The rollout of 100% fibre broadband for Sandyford is a fantastic development and one which demonstrates the dynamic growth prospects for the Sandyford area. This investment in digital infrastructure paves the way for Sandyford to really develop as a future proofed hub for business and families in the area.

SIRO Chief Executive Officer, John Keaney commented:

“Sandyford is a dynamic and growing area, with a strong mix of residential, business and retail. The area has grown significantly in recent years with ambitious plans for further growth.

“By bringing SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband network here, we are ensuring that this community has access to the digital connectivity it needs today and into the future. Whether it’s for remote work, business operations, or home entertainment, our network offers fast, reliable broadband that supports modern living.”

Sandyford Business District CEO Ger Corbett commenting on SIRO’s fibre broadband network in the district noted:

“The transition to high-speed broadband in Sandyford Business District is a gamechanger as the benefit to homes and businesses in the area will be immense, enhancing connectivity, boosting efficiency, and supporting long-term productivity.

“The investment in fibre broadband aligns with SBD’s core goals of innovation and future-proofing the district, ensuring it remains a competitive and dynamic hub for decades to come.”

Virgin Media is Ireland’s Fastest Broadband Provider and In-Home Wi-Fi Network for fourth year in a row #VirginMedia #Ookla

Ookla, the worldwide independent leader in consumer-initiated testing and analysis, has named Virgin Media as Ireland’s fastest broadband provider, for the fourth year in a row, and Ireland’s fastest In-Home Wi-Fi network. The results of tests taken with Speedtest® show that Virgin Media is considerably faster when compared to its nearest competitor for broadband and In-Home Wi-Fi.

Comparing millions of tests carried out by consumers themselves, Ookla analysed the results of tests taken by customers of all the major internet service providers in Ireland during the award determination period (Q1-Q2 2020).

Virgin Media provided the fastest speeds delivering 90th percentile download speeds of 255.18 Mbps compared to Vodafone (175.95 Mbps), eir (112.28 Mbps) or Sky (95.33 Mbps).

Virgin Media’s In-Home Wi-Fi also excelled, providing Virgin’s customers with 90th percentile download speeds of 251.23 Mbps, compared to Vodafone (156.42 Mbps), eir (111.42 Mbps) and Sky (99.42 Mbps).

Paul Higgins, Vice President of Commercial, said: “Today’s announcement is another fantastic endorsement for the Virgin Media cable broadband network. The fact we own our entire network, which uses DOCSIS 3 cable technology, means we can deliver speeds that are head and shoulders above our rivals. To be independently verified by Ookla, a globally recognised organisation, for the fourth year running underlines the investment we have consistently made to ensure our customers can enjoy Irelands fastest broadband network.”

Our award-winning speeds, paired with our innovative Hub with Smart Wi-Fi, means customers can expect to achieve the best In Home Wi-Fi and enjoy more connected entertainment including video, movies and gaming on more devices than ever. It also means our customers can be sure of the fastest Wi-Fi experience when it comes to working from home, be it online video conferencing or file sharing with colleagues. Virgin Media broadband network is delivering average download speeds that are over 72% faster than our nearest competitor.  

We know our customers are using their broadband more than ever before with a 40% increase in data usage and a 22% increase in Wi-Fi usage across Virgin Media’s high speed residential broadband network during the period from March to June inclusive. With our recent announcement offering 1Gb broadband speeds to 97.5% of our network, we’re now giving customers the option of even faster broadband speeds to their homes and the latest in-home technology to unlock the power of this new capability. The fastest really has gotten even faster.”

Doug Suttles, CEO, GM and Co-Founder of Ookla said: “We are pleased to present Virgin Media with the award for Fastest Broadband and In-Home Wi-Fi Network in Ireland. This recognition is testament to their exceptional performance in Q1-Q2 2020 based on Ookla’s rigorous analysis of consumer-initiated tests taken with Speedtest.”

The full results of the speed test can be viewed here: 

https://www.speedtest.net/awards/ireland/2020?award_type=isp&time_period=q1-q2