One of the most sought-after Wi-Fi contracts in the country has been won by Eircom. The telecoms provider has won exclusive rights to provide Wi-Fi services throughout Dublin Airport for the next five years. The value of the deal was not disclosed.
Dublin Airport is Ireland’s busiest travel hub with more than 17 million passengers using the facility in 2004 and with the go-ahead given last week to build a second and possibly third terminal, passenger numbers are projected to rise to approximately 30 million over the next decade.
Under this agreement, Eircom will build, operate and manage the wireless infrastructure at Dublin Airport, enabling customers to access the internet at broadband speeds on their Wi-Fi enables laptops and PDAs in all public zones from 4 July 2005. Eircom is also in the process of finalising roaming agreements with a number of other wireless broadband providers to enable users at the airport to use alternative Wi-Fi suppliers.
“Dublin Airport now brings to 290 the total number of Eircom wireless broadband hotspots, a number that continues to grow throughout the country and it is our intention to aggressively stimulate broadband usage throughout Ireland,” said Cathal Magee, managing director of Eircom Retail.
“We are delighted to work with Eircom in providing Wi-Fi access at Dublin Airport,” said Robert Hilliard, director of Dublin Airport. “With more than 18 million passengers expected to travel through the airport this year it is vital that our business and other customers can communicate as rapidly and as flexibly as possible whether they are arriving into or departing from the airport.”
By Brian Skelly
