SERVICES
Over 17,100 Premises in Co. Monaghan now have access to Imagine Next Generation Broadband
5G Fixed Broadband solving the problem of poor broadband in rural Ireland with over 40,000 now using Imagine’s service
“With homes and businesses across rural Ireland struggling with poor broadband access, Next Generation broadband is now essential to enable remote working and the rejuvenation of rural communities”.
Over 17,100 homes and businesses across Co. Monaghan now have access to Imagine’s 5G Fixed Broadband service as the company continues the expansion of its network across regional and rural Ireland. This includes 8,679 premises designated as ‘Amber’ or having inadequate access to high speed, high capacity broadband, under the National Broadband Plan (NBP).
Imagine is announcing the acceleration of the rollout of its network across regional and rural Ireland to meet the shift in demand and usage driven by changing working and living patterns which have been an impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The increasing numbers of people online is driving a significant increase in average internet data usage and while Next Generation Imagine 5G Fixed, Full Fibre Cable customers are benefitting from significantly higher usage, the majority of customers outside of the main cities, still dependent on legacy copper and mobile broadband, have been left struggling.
Imagine will continue to extend coverage and address local broadband blackspots working closely with stakeholders including local enterprises, broadband officers, elected representatives and community organisations to identify areas of specific need. Homes and businesses can check if they are within coverage online at www.imagine.ie simply by checking their eircode.
According to Imagine over 40,000 customers are already using its service across rural Ireland with an additional 55,000 having applied for the service driving the acceleration of the rollout of the network.
Commenting, the Minister for Rural Development Heather Humphries TD said “I am delighted with Imagines’ plans for rolling out high-speed broadband across rural Ireland. Now more than ever, broadband is an essential service that families, farms and business cannot afford to live without. From speaking with my constituents, I understand Imagine’s service to be robust, reliable and most importantly, fast.”
Commenting Sean Bolger, CEO of Imagine, said;
“With homes and businesses across regional and rural Ireland struggling with poor broadband access to Next Generation, high speed, broadband is now essential to enable enhanced remote working, a better quality of life and the rejuvenation of rural communities.
“The recent ‘National Remote Working Survey’* revealed that 95% of employees favour continued remote working and with businesses, farms, schools and families across the country struggling to access basic on-line services, without access to high-speed broadband, we are unlikely to be able attract people to rural areas looking for a better quality of life.
Digital and remote working hubs are welcome additions as workspaces and centres which will facilitate collaborative working, however they are no substitute to high-speed high-capacity broadband connectivity to businesses and homes.”
Welcoming the announcement John McArdle, County Broadband Officer, Monaghan Co.Council said “Imagine have been expanding their reach into County Monaghan for several years now and Monaghan County Council has been working very productively them during that time. In this regard, Imagine has become one of our key partners for delivering telecommunications services, offering high speed broadband to a myriad of users and businesses within County Monaghan.”