Irish mobile operator 3 plans to create 50 new positions to support continuing growth and investment, the company announced today.
The company, which currently employs 400 people, has already begun recruitment for the roles which are based across finance, product development and retail sales. The positions will be located in retail stores across Ireland, as well as at 3’s head office in Dublin.
Welcoming today’s announcement, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte, stated, “3 is playing a significant role in terms of the quality service and competition it offers to consumers in Ireland. 3 has been a significant driver of mobile broadband penetration through its delivery of the National Broadband Scheme. The ‘smartphone’ economy is vital to Ireland’s future and I am heartened that 3 is strengthening its presence here with the addition of a further 50 new jobs to its already 400-strong workforce.”
Robert Finnegan, chief executive, 3, said today’s announcement demonstrates the power of the new “smartphone” economy.
“We’ve talked about the ‘smart economy’ for years but the explosion of the smartphone is changing the way consumers use the internet for good and it is driving economic growth around the world – 2011 is the year of the smartphone. (Some) 340m people will buy one this year alone and 3 will be at the forefront of this new mobile phenomenon in Ireland. These new roles enhance our ability to manage the huge consumer demand for smartphones, particularly with 3e’s introduction of Ireland’s only ‘All You Can Eat’ price plans that give consumers free mobile internet access.”
3 has launched a number of business developments in recent months that support growth and expansion. The company reported that 60pc of phones sold in Ireland on its network are smartphones. It expects this figure to reach 90pc by the end of this year.
“Having pioneered the mobile broadband segment, which we continue to lead, 3 is aggressively pursuing the exploding smartphone segment. Following our recent launch of Ireland’s first ‘All You Can Eat’ data price plans for smartphone users, we achieved a 40pc increase in new customer connections in the first week. Building on this progress, 3 will continue to challenge the old networks by offering better value price plans and a first-class customer service,” Finnegan said.
3 in Ireland also recently announced the successful completion of Ireland’s Government-commissioned National Broadband Scheme.