Tag: fibre to the home

NBI and GAA+ partner to reward broadband customers with streamed championship games

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on behalf of the Government, has announced an exciting new partnership with GAA+, the GAA’s live and on-demand streaming platform.

GAA+ is offering a schedule of c.40 exclusive games for the Championship 2026 season and those new customers ordering a broadband service on the NBI network before 31st March can receive an annual subscription pass valued at €95.

By combining next‑generation broadband infrastructure with modern sports broadcasting, the reward highlights how digital connectivity can bring local sporting moments to audiences right across rural Ireland and the GAA heartland.

Jarlath Burns, GAA President, expressed his excitement at the launch of this partnership: “The GAA is rooted in every community in Ireland, regardless of its urban or rural setting. Making GAA+ as accessible and enjoyable as possible remains a consistent aim and this new partnership with National Broadband Ireland clearly speaks to that ambition.”

“Our platform will once again provide a comprehensive live and exclusive broadcast schedule to supporters across web, connected TVs and apps throughout the Championship from Saturday, April 11th. Working closely with National Broadband Ireland will ensure thousands of our members can avail of enhanced connectivity in their area and look forward to coverage from Provincial Championship and All-Ireland series stages on any connected device in the comfort of their own home.”

The partnership forms part of NBI’s wider efforts to enhance end user experience and highlight the everyday benefits that high‑speed broadband can bring to households and communities.

Speaking of the announcement T.J. Malone, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland: “We are very proud to announce our partnership with GAA+ considering that both organisations have such a strong focus on community. NBI’s rollout of high‑speed broadband infrastructure into rural areas is creating new opportunities for families, clubs and supporters to stay connected – whether that is working, learning or watching their county team compete.”

“We see our partnership with GAA+ as a great way to support broadband take-up by giving new customers that order before the end of March, access to 40 exclusive streamed games.” Mr. Malone concluded: “We also believe watching the GAA+ games over the NBI network will enhance the streaming experience.”

More than 451,000 premises across Ireland can now order fibre broadband on the NBI network, with over 165,000 already having done so.

open eir and Sky Partner to Deliver High-Capacity Backhaul Network Connectivity

open eir and Sky are pleased to announce a strategic five-year partnership aimed at enhancing connectivity between their core network infrastructures. Under the agreement, Sky will leverage open eir’s extensive fibre network, to continue its growth across Ireland.

open eir is actively expanding Ireland’s largest fibre-to-the-home network, already accessible to over 1.3 million homes and businesses today, with plans to extend coverage to 1.9 million locations, serving 84% of premises in Ireland. open eir’s fastest growing and largest gigabit fibre network allows Sky to expand their market size, delivering choice to the Irish consumer.

Oliver Loomes, CEO of eir, stated, “open eir and Sky Ireland’s collaboration marks a significant milestone in the Irish telecommunications industry. This direct relationship with Sky is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional network services. We are excited to work with Sky to enable them to bring innovative solutions to the Irish market. This initiative represents a strong working relationship between the two companies and sets the stage for a brighter future in the world of connectivity.”

JD Buckley, CEO of Sky Ireland, commented, “We selected open eir as a full fibre broadband network partner because of their scalable solution and their proven network capability. Sky will harness open eir’s network to broaden its market reach, providing a wider range of services to Irish consumers. This partnership allows Sky to strengthen our broadband capability as an ever increasing number of our customers migrate to IP based products.”

Maeve O’Malley, Managing Director of open eir Wholesale, commented on the partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to partner with Sky in this pivotal venture. This collaboration underscores our unwavering commitment to extending high- capacity, future-proof network infrastructure to homes and businesses throughout the country. By leveraging open eir’s expansive fibre network, we are ensuring that even customers in the most remote areas of Ireland can enjoy the benefits of world-class connectivity and next-generation services. This partnership marks a significant step forward in delivering superior network solutions to Irish consumers.”