The expansion of SIRO's fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network across Waterford City will see 9,000 homes and businesses connected by the end of 2021.
Access to a fast and reliable broadband connection has never been more important, especially over the past year, with many relying on internet access while working from home.
Despite many people still waiting on a proper broadband connection there’s some good news for the people of Waterford City as SIRO has announced it will be expanding its service there.
The fibre broadband provider is rolling out its new fibre network in Waterford that will see 9,000 homes and businesses connected by the end of 2021.
We take a closer look at the news below. But first, a reminder about what exactly SIRO is.
What is SIRO?
SIRO is a fibre broadband wholesaler that was established in 2016. It’s currently rolling out a new 100% fibre network across Ireland and is a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone.
The partnership allows SIRO to draw on both ESB’s heritage and on-the-ground knowledge and Vodafone’s telecoms expertise.
What’s happening?
SIRO has announced that it’s on target to connect 9,000 homes and businesses across Waterford City to its fibre broadband network by the end of the year.
The latest news is part of the company’s ongoing fibre broadband rollout nationwide where it’s already provided fibre to 64 towns across the country and to almost 400,000 homes.
The company confirmed that it will have spent €7.5 million by the end of 2021 as part of its Waterford city programme and, once connected, customers will have access to speeds of up to 1Gbps.
To date SIRO has passed premises in parts of Ferrybank, Ballybricken, Gracedieu, and Lismore in Waterford and has plans to expand to additional areas such as Templar’s Hall and Foxwood by the end of year.
SIRO started its fibre network rollout in Waterford City in September 2019, less than two years ago.
Commenting on the news CEO of SIRO, John Kearney said:
SIRO is investing €7.5 million in its fibre broadband rollout across Waterford city to end 2021, in recognition of the city’s importance as a growing commercial centre and its potential for further significant economic development and job creation.
Digital connectivity, unlocked through the availability of reliable, high quality fibre broadband which meets the demands of business and, now standard, multiple-device households, is essential to the city’s future growth and post-COVID-19 recovery.
Mr Kearney added:
Fibre broadband is critical for Ireland’s regions to prosper, act as a counterbalance to larger cities such as Dublin or Cork and give people the option to work and live close to home. Research, particularly since COVID-19, shows people want to work locally or hybrid work provided they have access to a high speed and reliable broadband connection. Meeting this demand is, put simply, exactly what SIRO’s Waterford city rollout is seeking to address.
*SIRO technician installing fibre cables
What the news means for customers in Waterford
In short, access to the SIRO fibre network will mean more homes and businesses in Waterford City will have access to high-quality fibre broadband with speeds of up to 1Gbps or 1,000Mbps - so pretty fast!
As part of its current rollout SIRO will replace the existing outdated and slower copper connections which many people rely on for broadband and replace them with fibre cables which allow for much faster speeds.
Fibre broadband is the highest standard of broadband currently available to consumers and ensures higher speeds, superior quality and reliability, far beyond what copper connections can offer.
Furthermore, SIRO’s fibre broadband network utilises ESB’s existing electrical network which ensures greater reliability and a reuse of existing infrastructure.
Additionally, SIRO said that having both ESB and Vodafone as joint venture partners allows it to draw on both the ESB’s heritage and on-the-ground knowledge and Vodafone’s telecoms expertise.
SIRO is urging all those who live in Waterford City, homeowners and businesses, who are struggling with online connectivity to check if SIRO is available in their area.
And the good news is that you can now use bonkers.ie to do just that!
Use bonkers.ie to compare broadband!
As well as being able to compare, switch and save on your broadband on bonkers.ie, you can also see what networks are available specific to your address.
By using our broadband comparison tool you can see what fibre services are available across all three Irish networks at your exact location.
All you have to do is input your address or Eircode when running a comparison on bonkers.ie and the results you see will be what's available unique to you - it's that simple!
Run a comparison today and see for yourself or take a look at our guide for more information on how to switch!
To ensure that you’re making an informed decision, you might want to check out these 7 things to consider when switching broadband provider or our guide that looks at some of the most common questions we get asked about switching broadband.
What do you think?
Are you happy to see SIRO’s fibre rollout progressing? Have you already signed up to SIRO? What do you think of it?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s news in the comment section below. You can also get in contact with us on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
