National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company rolling out the new high-speed fibre broadband network, says that surveying works in several areas of Laois are well underway.
In Laois, there are 12,510 premises in the Intervention Area (IA), which includes homes, farms, commercial businesses and schools.
This equates to 31% of all premises in the county. Under the National Broadband Plan, Laois will see an investment of €49 million in the new high speed fibre network.
This will enable e-learning, remote monitoring of livestock or equipment, e-health initiatives, better energy efficiency in the home, and facilitate increased levels of remote working.
Mountrath, Castletown, Coolrain, Pike of Rushall, Knockaroo, Aghaboe, Kilbricken, Raheen, Ballacolla and Abbeyleix are being surveyed at present.
In November 2020, NBI crews commenced with surveying works for townlands outside Stradbally.
These initial works pave the way for the next stage of deploying fibre on poles/ducts and includes the erection of poles, unblocking of ducts, and the insertion of sub duct into existing ducts, for the fibre to be installed.
In advance of the fibre to the home roll out, the NBP provides for the delivery of BCPs nationwide. 113 of these sites are now ‘live’ and have both internal and external broadband access.
These facilities – which include sports clubs, community centres and tourist sites – will provide free public access to high-speed internet in the rollout area.
These will pave the way for rural communities to receive the benefits of broadband, from mobile working, e-learning and mobile banking, to digital tourism.
Locations of Broadband Connection Points in county Laois will include Donaghmore Workhouse and Famine Museum, Vicarstown Community Centre, Emo Community Centre and Oisin House in Rossmore.
NBI Chief Executive Officer Peter Hendrick commented: “We started physical work on the ground last January and despite the challenging environment caused by Covid-19, we’ve grown and mobilised the team to have over 800 people working on the project across all 26 counties and making good progress.
“We are acutely aware that people want access to high-speed broadband as soon as possible, and our goal is to deliver that.
“Survey designs are an important part of mapping out how every home and business will be connected, and these will provide the blueprint for how the NBI fibre is laid.
“The BCPs are also a key milestone in delivering access to high-speed internet in the Intervention Area, and we’re delighted to see these being connected for access – internally and externally – right across the county.”
SEE ALSO – Laois GAA end tradition of media attending County Board meetings as decision taken to go ‘In Camera’
