Connecting Ireland at the speed of light
SIRO will revolutionise Ireland’s broadband market with technology which is the first of its kind in Ireland. Using ESB’s existing infrastructure, SIRO’s unique network will be available to all broadband service providers in the country and will address the digital divide between towns and cities, writes Sean Atkinson, Chief Executive Officer of SIRO.
As Ireland’s economic recovery continues apace, access to quality, future-proofed broadband infrastructure is increasingly seen as a key enabler for businesses, organisations and domestic users nationwide, opening up opportunities in e-commerce, health, education, agriculture and more. The delivery, in the years ahead, of a quality broadband network in Ireland will have the same transformative impact on this country, as rural electrification had in the 1950s and 1960s.
For that reason, Government has prioritised the roll-out of high-speed broadband as part of regional development policy, delivered through the upcoming National Broadband Plan, for which SIRO has been shortlisted. This policy development will be crucial in addressing the digital divide and in developing and maintaining economic and social progress in regional, as well as urban, Ireland.
The recent Indecon report, published by Government, highlights the importance and potential of the digital economy to both employment and growth. Currently it is estimated to contribute 6 per cent to Ireland’s GDP and support almost 116,000 direct and indirect jobs. By 2020, the internet and digital economy is expected to support 172,600 jobs, over 100,000 of those directly.
For regional and rural Ireland to take advantage of the potential offered by the digital economy, it is vital that the best broadband infrastructure possible is extended countrywide. At SIRO, we believe that the best broadband infrastructure consists of a 100 per cent fibre network, with no copper at any point and powered by light. SIRO’s broadband network is delivered using ESB’s existing electricity infrastructure and brings 1 Gigabit connectivity directly to the building. For context, a high definition film (4 GB) takes one hour to download with a 10 Mbps connection – with SIRO it will take 30 seconds.
Only a 100 per cent fibre optic network can deliver a future-proofed broadband network, capable of handling increasing demands for greater speeds, as technology improves and consumer expectations rise. And rise they will, with global daily download demands per household subscription predicted to reach 8 GB (the equivalent of two HD movies) and upstream daily demands of over 3 GB (over two thousand photographs) per day. SIRO will enable regional Ireland to participate in this digital future on a like-for-like basis with urban areas both in Ireland and internationally. It is the first national project of its kind in Europe, unrivalled in ambition.
SIRO is a €450 million joint venture from ESB and Vodafone, two of Ireland’s strongest and most innovative companies who have been delivering national infrastructure projects and supporting the growth of Irish communities for decades. From rural electrification to the roll-out of a national electric vehicles charge-point network and the delivery of Ireland’s first 4G network nationwide, our parent companies understand infrastructure, data management and communications networks. Their experience both in Ireland and internationally, is complemented by the long-term outlook and financial stability of both companies.
Launched in 2015, SIRO is working to light up 50 towns and 500,000 premises across Ireland. As we extend our network nationwide, we have seen, at first-hand, the difference that 100 per cent fibre broadband can make to communities around Ireland.
For example, at the Ludgate Centre in Skibbereen, Ireland’s first non-urban digital hub which is powered by SIRO and delivers a 1 Gigabit network in West Cork, 500 jobs will be created in five years with an initial 75+ jobs in the start-up phase. The Ludgate Centre is transforming the West Cork region and demonstrates the difference that a 100 per cent fibre broadband network can make to rural areas, facilitating home-working, allowing entrepreneurs to stay within their local communities and enabling emigrants to return and work from their home-town. To date, the hub has attracted Irish emigrants such as David Carroll, a Skibbereen native to return from Murcia with his wife and two children. It has also helped to attract people from abroad to relocate to the town, including Jane and Evan Sims from Chicago and Christopher Mason from Los Angeles. It is a microcosm of the transformative effect that a 100 per cent fibre network can have on a national basis.
By providing a 1 Gigabit network, SIRO delivers connectivity that is three times as powerful as the market-leading service in Dublin and 10 times as powerful as the market-leading service in rural Ireland. This is a huge differentiator for towns like Skibbereen, allowing them to compete on a level playing field not just with their national counterparts, but with international hubs like Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Businesses can develop e-commerce platforms and sell to the world, as well as to their local area. Students can access international, as well as local, educational opportunities. Farmers can engage with international agricultural specialists, share experiences and learn new methods of smart, efficient farming that are rolled out in Ireland and beyond.
In Cavan, SIRO’s connectivity has allowed a local photography club to transform the way in which it manages the production, editing and sharing of its images. In Ratheniska, Co. Laois, a graphic design company has been able to increase connectivity, thereby improving efficiency. Pupils at Ratheniska National School have been provided with access to a world of information and the opportunity to develop key skills in working collaboratively, researching and presenting information and coding.
SIRO is lighting up communities around Ireland, with a practical impact that is significant and transformative.
Our team of 100 employees is proud to support the growth of local economies in Ireland and in working to reverse the digital divide between regional and urban areas. We believe that a 100 per cent fibre, 1 Gigabit broadband network will be integral in the further attraction of foreign direct investment to our regions, as well as in supporting indigenous business to grow, develop and compete.
In our initial phase, SIRO will reach 50 towns and half a million premises nationwide. We will be working in 16 towns by Christmas and a further 20 towns are already in planning for 2017.
A potential second phase covering 320 smaller towns in rural areas is under consideration and SIRO has been shortlisted as part of the Government’s National Broadband Plan tender process.
Our ambition is to be Ireland’s national telecoms infrastructure for the 21st century. Offered on an open-access basis to all telecoms retailers in Ireland, SIRO will drive competition in the market and will ensure that consumers and businesses are able to avail of the market leading service from a range of operators.
We will boost business opportunities, enable new ways of learning, drive healthcare efficiencies and smarter farming methods. We will transform consumers’ broadband experience, thereby transforming communities in Ireland.
Ultimately we hope to see the development of a Gigabit society in Ireland, enabled by 100 per cent fibre-optic broadband. This will ensure the continued attraction of investment and creation of jobs, and will allow the public to avail of ground-breaking new services.
The future is powered by light and the future is powered by SIRO.
Contact details: www.siro.ie
Sean Atkinson is Chief Executive Officer of SIRO. Launched in May 2015, SIRO is a joint venture of ESB and Vodafone which is investing €450 million in building Ireland’s first 100 per cent fibre-to-the-building broadband network, offering a 1 Gigabit internet connection to 500,000 premises in fifty regional towns.
SIRO will revolutionise Ireland’s broadband market with technology which is the first of its kind in Ireland. Using ESB’s existing infrastructure, SIRO’s unique network will be available to all broadband service providers in the country and will address the digital divide between towns and cities.
