Vodafone Ireland has been chosen as the contractor to provide services at public broadband hubs in rural areas around the country, including eight in Galway.
Broadband Connections Points (BCBs) will be the first locations hooked up with high speed internet connections in public facilities under the National Broadband Plan.
National Broadband Ireland, the consortium with the contract for the NBP, will bring the connectivity to these locations, which are chosen for being public facilities such as sports clubs and community centres.
Vodafone will install and manage the equipment allowing for the public internet connections.
Galway’s BCPs include Leitrim Community Centre, Kylebrack; Cortoon Lavally Community Centre; the Old Secondary School, Glenamaddy; Comhar Chuigéal Teo, Lettermullan; the Community Development Office, Inishbofin; Comhar na Noileán, Inir Oirr; Killeany, Inis Mór; and Oifig Phoist Shraith Salach, Lissoughter.
“The dependency on quality broadband services for people of all ages for work, education and leisure is there for all to see,” Galway East TD Seán Canney said, welcoming the news.
The Independent TD claimed that this “vindicates” the decision last Autumn to sign a contract for the National Broadband Plan, despite many enduring concerns.
The county council is seeking to identify more connection points around the county which could use BCPs Canney said.
BCPs will provide wireless internet connections with up to 150mbps speeds for a period of three years, or until a permanent connection is installed under the NBP.
The first of these are expected to be connected within two weeks, with 200 BCPs to be up and running by the end of the year, and another 100 to follow in early 2021.
“The BCPs are a springboard for remote working, digital skills training and online study,” Canney said
“I strongly encourage local communities to grasp the opportunity to make sure that the connection points are used to their best advantage.”
