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Tag Archives: National Broadband Plan

Carron connection goes live at Michael Cusack Centre

HIGH-SPEED broadband, hot desk and video conferencing facilities are now available at the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron. The initiative was driven by Clare County Council, in partnership with the centre operators and the government. The Broadband Connection Point (BCP) was provided under the National Broadband Plan, and was officially opened as The Cusack Hub and Broadband Connection Point. The new digital hub facility, which is part of the local authority’s DigiClare.ie initiative, will support rural social enterprises and the wider community by providing flexible, affordable hot desks, video conferencing and printing facilities, all supported by high-speed broadband. The facilities at the hub will be made available to all members of the community who have a requirement to access these services, such as those working remotely and students who require access to third-level course material online. Groups and organisations in the area will also be able to use the facilities for community purposes, such as meetings and presentations. The BCP …

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Hayes secures briefing on roll-out of rural broadband

DETAILS of how and when the National Broadband Plan will be rolled out in rural Clare are to be made available, after representations on the issue by Councillor Pat Hayes. It follows a case, highlighted by the Fianna Fáil member where a Tulla resident tried a total of ten providers, but still could not secure a satisfactory service to enable her to work from home. The Caher native tabled a motion at the November meeting of the County Council calling on National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to outline its plans and to explain “how areas will be prioritised, [the] timescale of the project and how they plan to interact with other providers”. Councillor Hayes, who is Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District, told the meeting that everyone had come to learn the importance of good broadband connectivity during the pandemic. Joining the meeting remotely, along with four other members, Councillor Hayes noted that good coverage was now essential to the business …

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Broadband frustrations increase for East Clare residents working from home

FRUSTRATION at poor broadband across large sections of East Clare has intensified as more people try to work and study from home in response to the pandemic. One Tulla resident has told The Champion of her efforts to improve her family’s service which has involved contacting ten different providers, to no avail. The women, who lives just a few kilometres from the town, is a customer with Eir and uses a mobile broadband dongle. “I originally had broadband through the phone line and the service was very poor,” she explained. “The mobile device is supposed to provide wireless internet for up to ten devices, but if you have any more than two connected, it is a disaster. I’m working from home and my daughter was in Leaving Cert, so her studies had to take priority. At best, the service is okay, but that’s all. It is affected by bad weather too, which doesn’t help.” After trying ten different service providers …

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High-Speed Rural Broadband Connections Are On Track

THE first high-speed fibre connections to rural homes in Clare as part of the rollout of the National Broad Plan (NBP) will be made before the end of the year, Communications Minister Eamon Ryan has pledged. In response to parliamentary questions from Deputy Joe Carey and Deputy Cathal Crowe, Minister Ryan confirmed design work “is complete or ongoing” in Clare and 20 other counties. Deputy Carey asked the Communications Minister to outline his plans to accelerate the National Broadband Plan (NBP) to facilitate remote working in homes and business in Clare, while Deputy Crowe asked a similar question about the roll out of the NBP in the county. Around 91,000 premises across the country had been surveyed as part of the €3bn plan to deliver high speed broadband to rural Ireland by September 15, according to Minister Ryan. In Clare, the minister confirmed to the two deputies that surveys have already commenced in Cratloe, Ballycannan, Ballyglas and Cloghrea. Further surveys …

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“I couldn’t comment on it before, but it was unfair” David McCourt

NEWMARKET-on-Fergus based David McCourt, the man behind the company that has won the contract for the National Broadband Plan, has said he was unfairly labelled in the media during the selection process. He has also said that criticism of the cost of the contract failed to take into account of certain inescapable realities and that rural broadband provision can finally revitalise long-struggling areas of the country. On Tuesday, just hours after the deal was finally concluded, Mr McCourt, who heads up National Broadband Ireland, bypassed interview requests from the national media but met with The Clare Champion in his local pub, O’Neill’s, in the heart of Newmarket. He was warmly congratulated by the pub’s staff on arrival. It was an unlikely place to find a man whose company had concluded a deal with the Irish State potentially worth €3bn. On a local level, the National Broadband Plan will see €89 million invested in Clare, with 22,342 homes and businesses to …

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Good progress in telecommunications work

THE first quarterly progress report on the 2018 Work Programme of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Implementation Group demonstrates the good progress made in alleviating telecommunications deficits in Ireland, pending roll-out of the National Broadband Plan State Intervention. This was the observation of Minister Denis Naughten and Minister of State Seán Kyne in a joint statement this afternoon (Monday). Minister Naughten said, “We have achieved a lot since establishing this Taskforce in mid-2016, and the publication of this report reflects the momentum that was built up throughout 2017. We have continued to concentrate on how best to resolve mobile coverage black-spots, particularly in rural areas and a focus group has been established dedicated specifically to guide policy in that regard. We are also continuing to engage with industry and local authorities in a mapping exercise to identify priority black-spots across the country. I am also encouraged by the substantial work done by ComReg – such as mobile handset testing, and ongoing work to develop a composite national coverage map – to ensure customers are better informed before making decisions on products and services.” …

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Progress on rural broadband roll-out

Eircom’s has announced that they are to significantly expand access to high speed fibre broadband in rural Ireland, benefitting a number of areas in Clare. Deputy Pat Breen this spells good news to the communities of Behagh, Ballyvaughan, Craggagh, Caher, Carron, Doonaha, Inagh, Knock, Kildysart, Kilkishen, Kilkee, Kilmaley, Kilmihil, Kineilty Cross, Lissycasey, Labasheeda, Ogonnelloe, Ruan, Rahey Cross, Tiermaclane and Whitegate. “This expanded footprint means eircom will invest €400 million in fibre over the next five years, hugely benefitting families and business in the county. “The National Broadband Plan is a partnership between the commercial sector and the State to deliver high speed broadband to every home, school and business in Ireland. The Government has played a major role in creating the conditions for accelerated telecoms investment by highlighting to broadband providers the potential profit to be made by expanding into rural areas and by securing commitments from them to invest. Today’s investment is a clear indication that eircom recognises the …

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