FIBRE broadband connection is on the way for almost 4,000 premises near Macroom, writes Jackie Keogh.

National Broadband Ireland’s latest Cork connection means that 3,966 premises in the area will soon be able to order a high-speed fibre broadband connection. This includes the townlands and rural surrounds of Macroom, Kilberrihert and Slievereagh.

Works have already been completed in much of the rural areas across the county including Grenagh and Ballingeary with 24,746 connections have been made to date in County Cork.

NBI’s fibre rollout under the NBP is delivering broadband infrastructure to what is known as the State’s Intervention Area, which includes the most remote and rural parts of Ireland where commercial operators have no plans to deliver high-speed broadband.

The Intervention Area currently includes 83,000 premises in Cork which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms, and schools across the county. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, County Cork will receive €314m of government investment under the broadband plan.

TJ Malone, chief executive officer, NBI, said:  “As we enter the final phase of the rollout, we’re encouraging everyone to check their Eircode on nbi.ie.”

NBI has now passed over 537,000 homes, farms and businesses in rural Ireland with high-speed broadband infrastructure, of which over 195,000 are now connected.