Take-up of fibre broadband surpassing 50% in rural areas surrounding Athlone and Mullingar

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan on behalf of the Government, has said that it has connected over 4,000 homes, farms and businesses to high-speed fibre broadband in Co Westmeath.

There are 11,770 homes, businesses, and farms in Co Westmeath that can order or pre-order high-speed, reliable broadband through the NBI™ network with 4,193 connections so far. National Broadband Ireland is calling on people living in Westmeath to visit nbi.ie/map/ and enter their Eircode to see if they are ready to connect.

As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, Co Westmeath has received €46m of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan with the rollout to the county now close to completion. 

NBI has now passed over 337,440 homes, farms and businesses in rural Ireland with over 115,000 of these now connected to high-speed broadband. The average take-up rate of 33% is well ahead of projections and international comparisons and surpasses 50% in areas of the country where the network has been live for 18 months.

Take-up of NBI fibre broadband in Westmeath is ahead of the national average at 35% while in the rural areas surrounding Athlone and Mullingar, take-up is over 50%.

Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: “We are delighted to announce that over 4,000 premises in Westmeath have already connected to high-speed broadband services through the NBI™ network. 

“High-speed fibre broadband is transforming rural communities, making it easier for people to return home, stay connected, and thrive. Families can live closer to loved ones without sacrificing opportunities, businesses can expand through e-commerce and remote work, and farmers can embrace smart technology to enhance their operations. Reliable broadband isn’t just a service—it’s a lifeline for rural Ireland, unlocking new possibilities for everyone.

“Overall, almost 11,800 homes, businesses and farms in Co Westmeath can now order and connect to a high-speed fibre connection on the NBI™ network. Our progress in the county is now at an advanced stage and we expect our full network will be live in Westmeath later this year.

“Connecting to fibre broadband couldn’t be simpler and we strongly encourage people living in rural areas of Westmeath check their address or Eircode on nbi.ie to find out more.”

As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers or Retail Service Providers (RSPs). As a wholesale provider, NBI will make the new Fibre-to-the-Home network available to all RSPs operating in the Intervention Area.   

Some 73 RSPs have already signed up to sell services on the NBI™ network and 69 are certified as ready to start providing connections as of today. To see the retail broadband providers that are currently licensed to sell on the NBI™ network, visit nbi.ie/where-can-i-buy/.  

The National Broadband Ireland website is regularly updated to show estimated connection dates. Signing up to the NBI email notifications at /eoi/ is the easiest way to get the most up to date status of premises during the rollout and when premises will be ready for order.

Keep up to Speed! 

NBI is encouraging people to check their eligibility and register for updates at www.nbi.ie to receive regular notifications related to their own premises as works progresses in their area.  

Broadband Connection Points

In advance of the Fibre-to-the-Home rollout, the NBP provides for the delivery of Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) nationwide. 955 of these sites, including Public BCPs, are now ‘live’. Public BCPs – which include sports clubs, community centres and tourist sites – will provide free public access to high-speed internet in the rollout area. Other BCP categories include schools and marts.

BCPs will pave the way for rural communities to receive the benefits of broadband, from mobile working, e-learning and mobile banking, to digital tourism. You can view BCPs at www.nbi.ie/bcp-map/. An example of some of the locations of Broadband Connection Points in Westmeath include Castledaly Community Centre, Bunbrosna GAA Club and Milltown Emper Community Centre. Primary schools in the Intervention Area are now connected for educational access as part of the NBP.