Over 114,000 homes already connected with demand continuing to grow

7th February 2025: National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company responsible for delivering the Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP), has announced in its final quarterly update for its contract year ending 31st January 2025 that 337,000 homes, farms and businesses now have access to the NBI high-speed fibre network and the average connection take-up rate across the country is above 34%.

Performance update:
By contract year end (31st January 2025), NBI has delivered:

  • 99% (556,555) of all surveying and design work is now complete;
  • 91% (513,425) of the network is now either built or currently under construction;
  • 337,440 premises passed, a 48% year-on-year increase;
  • 114,386 premises connected, a 65% year-on-year increase.

There are now 337,440 homes, farms and businesses that have been passed with NBI fibre (out of the 564,000 currently included in the NBP Intervention Area). When a premises is passed, an order can be placed to connect to high-speed fibre broadband on the NBI Network through a choice of over 50 broadband providers actively selling on the network. People living and working in rural Ireland can enter their Eircode on the NBI website, www.nbi.ie, to see if their home or business is included in the rollout and how to get connected.

As the rollout phase of NBI’s network nears completion, take-up rates continue to grow. 114,386 premises have already connected to the NBI network, with the average take-up rate (34%) well ahead of projections and international comparisons. The connection rate surpasses 50% in areas where the NBI™ network has been live for longer.

NBI has almost fully completed the preliminary survey works required for the entire Intervention Area and expects this phase of the rollout to be finished by the end of March. Survey works include the physical assessment of existing pole and duct network across the country, followed by a detailed design process where the optimum fibre route is determined.

Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, T.D. said: “Expanding high-speed internet access across the nation is essential for economic growth, education, and everyday life, in every corner of the country. People rely upon high-speed internet connections to communicate effectively, in the same way that electricity and domestic phone lines brought Ireland forward in the past.

“Communities need and deserve to have future-proofed communications networks, and the National Broadband Plan is part of the Government’s commitment to delivering that.

“Homes, farms and businesses do not exist in isolation and supplying the infrastructure needed to support them is critical and that’s why the NBP intervention area is delivering connectivity to all premises, no matter how remote or rural.”

Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: “The progress we’ve made over the past year underscores the scale and momentum of the National Broadband Plan. With 337,000 homes, farms, and businesses now able to connect and over 114,000 already availing of high-speed fibre broadband on our network, the impact of this critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly tangible for communities across Ireland.

“As we move into the next phase of the rollout, our focus remains on accelerating delivery and connecting even more people to world-class broadband. This year, we aim to surpass 420,000 premises passed, keeping us firmly on track to complete the rollout as originally planned.

“NBI’s high-speed fibre broadband is creating new opportunities for communities, allowing people to live and work where they choose without compromise. Businesses can expand online, students can access world-class education from home, and families can stay more connected than ever before. This transformative network is laying the foundation for long-term economic growth in rural Ireland and ensuring communities in the countryside have the same digital access as urban centres.”

All stats are correct for our contract year, ending 31st January 2025. For the latest stats on our programme delivery, please see www.nbi.ie.

About NBI
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is designing, building and operating the new high-speed fibre broadband network for rural Ireland. NBI’s team brings together some of the most talented individuals in Ireland and across the world, with deep knowledge and experience in delivering projects to the scale of the National Broadband Plan (NBP). This includes developing, building, and operating networks and coordinating all the elements required to finance and deliver a project of the size and complexity of Ireland’s NBP.

NBI was established by Granahan McCourt, an international investor in technology, media and telecommunications. For over 30 years, Granahan McCourt has partnered with Governments, corporations and communities to connect people through innovation in technologically underserved areas of the world.

NBI’s partners include KN Group and Secto. Nokia is providing all the active equipment for the project while 4Site is the network design partner. NBI is also working with infrastructure owners such as eir (pole and ducts network) and Enet (MANs and Broadband Connection Points). NBI will be responsible for the management of the new national broadband network for at least the next 20 years.

About the Intervention Area  
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government’s initiative to deliver high-speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. This will be delivered through intervention by the State in those parts of the country where private companies have indicated they have no plans to invest.

The State Intervention Area for the National Broadband Plan includes over 564,000 premises and over 1.1 million people and includes any new homes built in the Intervention Area over the next 20 years.

The Intervention Area can be viewed using the Government’s High Speed Broadband Map (www.broadband.gov.ie) which shows the areas which are included in the National Broadband Plan. The map is colour-coded and searchable by address and Eircode.

Steps to Getting Connected to the NBI™ Network 

  • Phase 1: Surveying – Physical surveys are required to examine the existing pole and duct network for inclusion in the design. 
  • Phase 2: Design – NBI’s detailed design process covers infrastructure, power and footprint required, drawings, openeir works, Local Authority requirements and revised cost analysis. 
  • Phase 3: Build – After the designs have been approved, work can start on the ground. This includes everything from readying existing infrastructure to laying fibre. 
  • Phase 4: Available to Order / Premises Passed – Once the build is complete, an order can be placed with a broadband service provider who is registered to sell on the NBI™ network. 
  • Phase 5: Connection – NBI will connect your premises on behalf of your preferred broadband service provider. Once connected to the NBI™ network, you will have guaranteed access to minimum speeds of 500Mb.

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs)  
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 /bcp-map/. Primary schools in the Intervention Area are now connected for educational access as part of the NBP.

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 work progresses in their area.