open eir accelerates Ireland's connectivity: Nearly 1.2 million homes and businesses can now access high-speed fibre broadband

open eir, Ireland's wholesale telecommunications operator, has achieved a significant milestone in the expansion of Ireland’s largest high-speed fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network. This ambitious project has now reached almost 1.2 million homes and businesses nationwide, setting a new record for fibre broadband coverage in the country. This expansion means that more than 3.2 million* people can now benefit from full fibre broadband connectivity. On completion this cutting-edge gigabit network to 1.9 million homes and businesses, covering 84% of premises in Ireland. The company's FTTH rollout marks a major stride in bridging connectivity gaps, ensuring widespread access to high-speed internet and enabling more homes and businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

In 2023, open eir made significant strides in integrating fibre infrastructure into Ireland's new housing developments. To facilitate this, the company established a specialised new-build team, who have played a pivotal role in extending the fibre network reach to thousands of new homes, encompassing both individual houses and apartment complexes, ensuring that both homeowners and renters have immediate access to state-of-the-art full-fibre infrastructure. The continuous rapid expansion of the network positions Ireland as a leader in global fibre connectivity, driven by a dedicated team of engineers and an investment exceeding €1 billion. 

Commenting on the progress made in 2023, Maeve O’Malley, Managing Director of open eir Wholesale "open eir is proud to have reached this significant milestone of bringing full fibre connectivity to nearly 1.2 million homes and businesses across Ireland. This means that almost 3.2 million people now have the opportunity to connect to future-proof fibre broadband. 

This achievement reflects our dedication to providing cutting-edge technology and enhancing connectivity for communities across Ireland. In today's digital age, a full-fibre network is not just about connectivity; it's a cornerstone for Ireland's economic growth. We are focused on ensuring new housing developments also have access to fibre broadband with the introduction of a specialised team working to deliver on our commitment to connecting for a better Ireland.

It takes meticulous planning, technical expertise, and a dedicated team to bring such a transformative infrastructure programme to fruition. I am exceptionally proud of our team of 1,000 engineers who have worked relentlessly to bring high speed broadband to 1.2 million homes and businesses across Ireland.”

open eir's network build has contributed to Ireland now ranking as one of the most technologically advanced countries globally, building on its Eurostat ranking as the 8th most fibre-connected country in the EU last year. Customers can access full fibre connectivity via a range of retail service providers, such as Pure Telecom. As open eir’s network expands, the number of retail service providers also grows, which fosters a competitive market environment delivering choice and value for money to households and businesses alike. 

Jonathan Long of Pure Telecom, one of open eir’s retail partners added: “In an era where technological advancements and escalating data demands define the landscape, full fibre connectivity stands as a cornerstone to prevent Ireland from lagging behind. Pure Telecom takes pride in the substantial adoption and continued growth of our broadband services, recognising the indispensable role of a resilient, high-speed network infrastructure for businesses to flourish, innovate, and sustain global competitiveness. We are pleased to deliver open eir's gigabit fibre network to our customers, helping them to actively contribute to Ireland's continued economic growth.”

In addition to providing faster broadband speeds, open eir's network also contributes to minimising environmental impact by reducing carbon emissions compared to copper networks through improved energy efficiency, less e-waste and a longer network lifespan.