High-speed fibre broadband now available near east Mayo town
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 that Swinford has now been connected to high-speed fibre broadband. NBI’s connection of Swinford ensures that 1,248 homes and businesses can now access high-speed fibre broadband. This includes the rural townlands of Sonnagh and Cuildoo.
The completion of works near Swinford means that 22,212 premises can now pre-order or order high-speed, reliable broadband across Mayo with 5,376 connections made to date. Works have already been completed in rural areas across the county including Castlebar and Newport.
National Broadband Ireland is encouraging all Mayo residents to visit here and check their Eircode to see if they’re ready to connect and find out more about placing an order.
NBI’s fibre rollout under the NBP is delivering broadband infrastructure to what is known as the State’s Intervention Area, which includes the most remote and rural parts of Ireland where commercial operators have no plans to deliver high-speed broadband. The Intervention Area currently includes 38,000 premises in Mayo which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms, and schools across the county. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, Mayo will receive €145m of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan.
T.J. Malone, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: “We are delighted to announce that over 1,200 Mayo homes, businesses and farms near Swinford can now connect to NBI’s high-speed fibre broadband. Those connected are experiencing the life-changing benefits of high-speed fibre broadband with minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second.
“With the national switch-off of the copper network approaching, NBI’s fibre network will ensure communities across Ireland are prepared for the future by supporting remote working, education, healthcare access, and local enterprise, while providing the reliability needed for everyday living.
“As we enter the final year of the National Broadband Plan rollout, we’re encouraging everyone in Mayo to check their Eircode on nbi.ie and order now to secure high-speed fibre broadband for their home or business.”
NBI has now passed over 475,000 homes, farms and businesses in rural Ireland to high-speed broadband with over 176,000 now connected. The average take-up rate of 37% is well ahead of projections and international comparisons and surpasses 60% in areas of the country where the network has been live the longest.
The National Broadband Ireland website is regularly updated to show estimated completion dates. With the main rollout due to be concluded by the end of this year, the remaining homes and businesses yet to be passed will be able to place an order for high-speed broadband in the coming months. The easiest way to get updates on when a premises will be ready to order is by signing up for NBI email alerts at nbi.ie.
As fibre networks expand across Ireland, offering superior speed, capacity, and reliability; older copper telephone and broadband infrastructure will start to be decommissioned. The European Commission has proposed 2035 as the latest date for EU Member States to mandate the decommissioning of the legacy copper networks.