Mullingar-headquartered Satellite Broadband Ireland is to create 30 new jobs after being awarded a contract from mobile-broadband player 3 to provide satellite services to homes in rural Ireland.
As part of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) being rolled out by 3, Satellite Broadband Ireland will provide satellite-broadband services to up to 5pc of the 223,000 targeted buildings throughout rural Ireland.
“This goes to show that the National Broadband Scheme has brought new smart jobs to Mullingar, and it will continue to bring these jobs to other parts of the country as it progresses,” said Communications Minister Eamon Ryan TD.
The Minister added that “broadband is the delivery mechanism for a smart, green future.”
Investment
The National Broadband Scheme sees an estimated €223 million investment by 3, of which a maximum of €79.8 million will be contributed by the Irish Government and the EU, to provide broadband services to the designated electoral districts covered by the scheme.
“Satellite Broadband Ireland is delighted to partner with Ireland’s leading mobile broadband provider, 3, to support the roll out of the National Broadband Scheme,” said Kevin Ryan, co-founder of Satellite Broadband Ireland.
“The extension of broadband will encourage the entrepreneurial spirit, which is a unique asset of the knowledge economy in Ireland and will help secure a sustainable future for firms and entrepreneurs outside urban areas.”
Cost to consumers
The cost of the satellite broadband service to consumers within the NBS areas will be the same price as 3’s NBS mobile broadband service – €19.99 per month, plus a once-off charge of €49 for installation and hardware – providing much-needed broadband connectivity in these areas, to both homes and businesses.
“This strategic agreement with Satellite Broadband Ireland is an important part of our National Broadband Scheme rollout,” said Damien Gallagher, NBS project director, 3.
“Satellite broadband is the only viable option in a small percentage of buildings without which certain parts of rural Ireland would remain unconnected. 3 chose Satellite Broadband Ireland’s cutting-edge, innovative technology and their highly-skilled and experienced Irish workforce,” Gallagher added.
A bit of history
Established in 2008, Satellite Broadband Ireland provides satellite broadband to the Irish market. Since its first installation the Tooway service has now successfully been installed in 24 counties across Ireland, covering the most rural locations from west Cork to the most northerly points of Donegal. The company employs 10 people at its headquarters in Mullingar.
“Through the National Broadband Scheme, our satellite broadband service will connect people in unserved areas to an efficient broadband service delivered via the latest satellite technology,” Satellite Broadband Ireland co-founder Sean Og Brennan said.
“Satellite Broadband Ireland chose to use Eulestat’s world-leading satellite-broadband technology as they are the largest broadband provider through satellite in Europe. Eulestat’s experience in this sector was also a major factor in the selection of a satellite-broadband provider,” Brennan added.
By John Kennedy
Photo: Left to right, Damien Gallagher, NBS project director; Kevin Ryan, CEO of Satellite Broadband Ireland, and Sean Brennan, MD Satellite Broadband Ireland.
