Ice Broadband, a wireless service provider backed by the technology entrepreneur Fran Rooney, has acquired the assets of the satellite broadband company Ildana for an undisclosed fee.
Ildana had gone into liquidation after a proposed €1.2m sale to Pure Telecom fell through in April. Based out of Clonee, Co Meath, the company had previously won 75 contracts to provide broadband to communities in rural and remote areas under the Government’s Group Broadband Scheme.
The company was set up five years ago and had developed a satellite network system to deliver broadband connectivity to rural areas. It offered services across Donegal, Galway, Limerick, Kerry, Meath, Clare, Wicklow and Monaghan and had an estimated 350 customers.
According to information from the company, Ildana had established 12 Group Broadband Scheme sites throughout Ireland with 24 more schemes in advanced planning mode.
Some of the locations for schemes include: Askeaton, Ballyneety and Kilmallock in Limerick; Ardcath, Ballivor, Ballybay, Barstown and Boardsmill in Meath; Ballyferriter and Ventry in Kerry; Bandon in Cork; Gweedore in Donegal; Miltown Malbay and Summer Hill in Clare.
Ice Broadband was founded in 2003 and focuses on providing services in suburban areas, rural locations and small towns. The company is headed by Yvonne Rooney, daughter of the former head of Baltimore Technologies Fran Rooney. She commented: “Acquiring Ildana is an ideal fit for Ice Broadband and will speed up our nationwide penetration of the Irish marketplace, adding the south-west coast, the western seaboard and other prime locations to our network.”
By Gordon Smith
