Nokia says it will supply all of the active equipment necessary for the roll out of optical networks to support the goals of the Irish Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP). National Broadband Ireland (NBI), established to design, build, and operate a new high-speed fiber broadband network to serve rural Ireland, made the selection (see "Ireland names preferred bidder for National Broadband Plan’s rural infrastructure deployment").
The communications technology company will provide PON, IP, and optical transport equipment. The list includes Nokia’s FX OLT, XGS-PON ONTs, management system, and enhanced applications; 7750 Service Router; and 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS). Nokia also will supply a range of services for design, testing, integration, I&C, project management, and CARE.
The NBP aims to provide high-speed broadband to Ireland’s entire population, including the 23% who live in the more rural Intervention Area (IA) that is an NBP focus. The rural areas encompass more than 44,000 non-farm businesses, over 54,000 farms, and 695 schools. Overall, the program expects to deliver fiber broadband connections to approximately 540,000 rural premises. The project is expected to require five to seven years to complete, with the majority of premises passed with fiber within four years. NBI expects more than 100,000 km of fiber cable will be deployed during the roll out.
“We believe that better broadband networks promote social progress, equality and sustainability,” commented Peter Hendrick, CEO at National Broadband Ireland. “With equal access to local, national, and global opportunity, every person, community, and organization in Ireland will be empowered to achieve more. We look forward to working with Nokia because the company has the experience from similar projects globally, as well as the technological capabilities and end-to-end portfolio, for a project like this.”
“It is imperative for today’s digital societies to provide high-speed connectivity everywhere – not just in cities and urban areas – to enable new digital services, digitalization of industries and innovation for economy and society to the benefit of the whole country. This project is key for the further digitalization of Ireland,” added Cormac Whelan, CEO UK and Ireland at Nokia.
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