641 homes and businesses on Inis Mór can now connect to fibre broadband on the NBI network™   

Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr on track to be connected to the NBI network™ later this year 

Almost 33,800 premises in Co Galway can avail of a high-speed connection today 

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on behalf of the Government, has announced that Inis Mór (Inishmore) has now been connected to high-speed fibre broadband as the rollout across Galway has now passed over 33,000 homes, farms and businesses. 

NBI’s connection of Inis Mór means that 641 homes and businesses on the island can now access high-speed fibre broadband. 147 premises on Inis Meáin (Inishmaan) and 259 on Inis Oírr (Inisheer) are on track to be connected to the NBI network™ later this year. 

The completion of works on Inis Mór means that 33,797 premises that can now pre-order or order high-speed, reliable broadband across Galway with 11,953 connections made to date. Works have also been completed in rural areas surrounding Galway City, Gort and Ballinasloe.  

National Broadband Ireland is encouraging all Co Galway residents to visit nbi.ie and check their Eircode to see if they’re ready to connect and find out more about placing an order.    

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 41,000 premises in Galway, 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, Co Galway will receive €153m of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan. 

With the national switch-off of the copper network approaching, NBI’s fibre network will ensure communities across Galway are prepared for the future by supporting remote working, education, healthcare access and local enterprise while providing the reliability needed for everyday living.  

TJ Malone, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: “We are delighted to announce that Inis Mór has now been connected the NBI network™. This means that people living on Inis Mór can access the same high-speed, reliable broadband connection as communities on the mainland. The delivery of high-speed broadband to the islands is having a transformative impact on what are some of the most remote communities in the country, supporting local businesses, enabling remote working and learning, and helping people live on the islands year-round. 

“As we enter the final year of the National Broadband Plan rollout, we’re encouraging everyone in Galway to check their Eircode on nbi.ie and order now to secure high-speed fibre broadband for their home or business.”  

National Rollout Progress  

NBI has now passed over 465,000 homes, farms and businesses in rural Ireland to high-speed broadband with over 171,000 now connected. The average take-up rate of 37% is well ahead of projections and international comparisons and surpasses 60% in areas of the country where the network has been live the longest.    

The National Broadband Ireland website is regularly updated to show estimated connection dates. The easiest way to get updates on when a home or business will be ready to order is by signing up for NBI email alerts at nbi.ie.    

As fibre networks expand across Ireland, offering superior speed, capacity, and reliability; older copper telephone and broadband infrastructure will start to be decommissioned. The European Commission has proposed 2035 as the latest date for EU Member States to mandate the decommissioning of the legacy copper networks.  

Choosing a Broadband Provider  

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.      

Over 50 RSPs are available on the NBI network™ to provide connections as of today. To see all retail broadband providers that are currently on the NBI network™, visit nbi.ie.   

Keep up to Speed!     

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