Broadband roll-out continues apace county wide

Build works connected with the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan have already commenced in several areas outside Cavan town, with more scheduled to be surveyed in the New Year.

Crews were on the ground pulling cable in Ballinagh, Corlurgan, Araghan, Poles, Caughoo, Belturbet, Killeshandra and Butlersbridge in the run up to Christmas.

Indicative dates to connect around 3,700 premises are between February and April of 2021.

Meanwhile, it's expected that more than 3,700 premises in the Cootehill area will be surveyed for connection in the second quarter of 2021, with more than 3,100 others in the Kilnaleck area to be checked before the year is out.

Surveying is the first step towards delivering the new fibre network and involves physically walking the routes and taking images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This informs design solutions for provision of the fibre network to each and every premises in the surveyed area. Detailed designs are then drawn up and used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State-led intervention is being delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed in November 2019.

The Intervention Area, which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 544,000 premises, includes almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.

In County Cavan, there are 42,250 premises, 16,242 (38%) of which are within the intervention area.

The deployment plan targets the connection of over 90% of premises in the State to high speed broadband within the next four years.

In neighbouring Monaghan, there are are total of 33,404 premises, 15,282 (46%) of which are within the intervention area.

To date NBP surveys have been completed in the areas of Cornacassa, Cortolvin, Ballybay and Stranooden, with targets to connect these around 4,300 premises in these areas between August and October of 2021.

Other areas due to commence include Mullinahinch, Bellanode, Drumhilock, Tydavnet, Cloughnart, Scotstown and Killymarley.

Areas scheduled for surveying in 2021 include Emyvale (Q2 2021), Clones (Q2) and Carrickmacross (Q4).

In conjunction, Broadband Connection Points (BCPs), considered a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network, are being installed locally.

As of December 14 last, 221 publicly accessible BCP sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Gallonray House, Maudabawn; Kildallan Parish Hall; Killinkere Leisure Centre; Castle Saunderson Scout Centre; Bunnoe Community Centre; Drumavaddy Community Centre; Templeport Community Centre; Cornafean Community Centre; Mullahoran Community Centre and Glangevlin Community Hall in Cavan have had BCPs now installed.

A further BCP at Castlerahan Community Centre is now installed and connected.

In Monaghan, BCPs have been installed and connected at Corduff Community Centre, Tannagh Outdoor Education Centre, Corcaghan Community Centre, Carn Resource Centre, Mullyash Community Centre, Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence, Saint Alphonsus Community Hall, Ballybay Wetlands and Latton Resource Centre.

Drumgossatt National School in Co Monaghan is connected for educational access as part of this initiative, with further plans to connect Drumcorrin National School.