Ireland’s SIRO gets significant FTTB expansion funding for broadband services
SIRO, a joint venture between Vodafone and Irish energy provider ESB that operates fiber to the building (FTTB) networks in Ireland, says it has secured €620 million from the European Investment Bank and a syndicate of lenders from Ireland and elsewhere.
The funds will be used to expand the company’s FTTB footprint by 320,000 homes and businesses and enable wider deployment of 2-Gbps broadband services.
The additional premises to be attached to the FTTB network thanks to the cash infusion will expand SIRO’s planned roll outs to 770,000, representing more than 2.1 million people in 154 towns, according to the company.
The new funding will bring SIRO’s network spend to €1 billion. The European Investment Bank’s portion of the new funding will be €170 million.
SIRO has launched 2-Gbps broadband service in Kilkenny and expects to be able to offer the service to its current 400,000 premises passed by early 2022.
“This is a landmark announcement not just for SIRO, but also for Ireland as our network will play a fundamental role in a regional renewal and helping households be more sustainable,” stated SIRO CEO John Keaney. “Connecting over 2 million people as part of a gigabit society matters because it means that more people have the option of working from home, with less cars on the roads and families able to spend more quality time with each other. Similarly, more businesses will be more fully participate in the digital economy, collaborating with clients seamlessly and selling to customers in every corner of the globe. Thanks to our future-proofed network, SIRO will power Ireland’s broadband needs for decades ahead.”
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director & Associate Publisher
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, DOCSIS technology, and more.