Wireless broadband service provider Irish Broadband has been granted nine additional fixed wireless licenses by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
The new licenses, awarded under phase 2 of ComReg’s FWALA 3.5GHz licensing scheme, are for Athlone, Arklow, Ennis, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Newbridge, Portlaoise, Wexford and Carlow.
Irish Broadband aims to use the new licenses to augment its existing highspeed broadband services to businesses and residential broadband customers.
In the first round of 3.5GHz band licenses, which were awarded in November 2003, included were seven licenses that went to Irish Broadband, enabling it to provide coverage to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Drogheda and Dundalk.
Irish Broadband claims to be the first company to introduce guaranteed broadband connection speeds in Ireland, offering wireless leased lines as an alternative option to DSL, giving Irish consumers and business high-speed internet access in homes and offices.
It currently operates in the license-free 2.4GHz and 5.7 GHz frequency bands, and is also expanding with the use of the, licensed spectrum in 3.5GHz and 10.5GHz Frequencies.
The company’s service to business and home Internet users includes high speed always-on internet access (upstream as well as downstream) with unlimited connection to the internet from €30 per month for home users and €45 per month for business users.
Paul Doody, Managing Director, Irish Broadband, commented: “Following on from the initial license awards of last year these new licenses provide Irish Broadband with a platform to provide our service on a nationwide basis. We are investing in developing and upgrading our offering and will be in a position to move into these new markets within the coming year.”
By John Kennedy
