Summary of broadband development in Ireland
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) for Ireland intends to provide access to high speed broadband with a choice of service providers to every home and business by 2026. The government signed the contract for the implementation of the national broadband plan in November 2019. The contractor, National Broadband Ireland, will build a predominantly fibre-based network to cover 540.000 premises in Ireland.
National broadband strategy and policy
Responsible authorities
- The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is in charge of the formulation of policy at both a national and EU level in relation to telecommunications issues, which also includes the National Broadband Plan.
- The Commission for Communications Regulation provides regulations for the telecommunications market.
Main aims for broadband coverage
The National Broadband Plan for Ireland, updated in 2023, sets targets for 2026. Its core objectives are to contribute to sustained macro-economic growth and competitiveness.
In November 2019, the government signed the contract for the implementation of the national broadband plan. The contractor, National Broadband Ireland, will build a predominantly fibre-based network to cover 540.000 premises in Ireland with minimum download speed of 150 Mbps. Around 146.000 kilometres of fibre will cover 96% of Ireland’s land mass. NBI will be a wholesaler offering passive and active wholesale products to all retail and wholesale service providers willing to provide services in the area. The services will be offered to all broadband retail providers from the largest to the smallest, on a non-discriminatory basis.
The aims of the government with respect to digital connectivity are also set out in the national digital strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework, published in 2022. The strategy is to drive the digital transition across the Irish economy and society. The ambition is making connectivity available to everyone, including through the National Broadband Plan, Remote Working Hubs and Broadband Connection Points, with a target of having all Irish households and businesses covered by Gigabit network no later than 2028 and all populated areas covered by 5G no later than 2030.
Main measures for broadband coverage
- Broadband mapping: the Irish government has established an interactive High-Speed Broadband Map. The mapping tool provides an overview of the areas covered by operators and areas subject to the State Intervention of the National Broadband Plan. The Map is updated on a quarterly basis to reflect the movement of premises from white to grey.
National and regional broadband financial instruments
The State Intervention in the form of the National Broadband Plan aims at connecting all communities, as commercial operators have made it clear that there are parts of the country where they will not make high-speed broadband services available commercially. The intervention aims to provide high-speed broadband to every premises in the country with no existing or planned high-speed broadband network. This is a complex and ambitious national infrastructure project to build, operate and maintain a high-speed broadband network over a 25-year contract.
Recovery and Resilience Plan: the allocation for connectivity is EUR 19 million. The connectivity measure will help public administrations maximise the benefit from 5G technologies. The investment consists in building a low-latency platform with a high-speed backbone using edge compute nodes to enable a faster response.
Data on broadband development and technologies in Ireland
For the latest data on broadband coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different broadband technologies and costs check the scoreboard reports and the country reports of the Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI).
Spectrum assignments for wireless broadband
For details on harmonised spectrum assignments consult the European 5G Observatory.
National publications and press documents
- A National Broadband Plan for Ireland
- Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework
- High Speed Broadband Map
- Broadband Officers contact list
- Study on National Broadband Plans
- Guide to High-Speed Broadband Investment
- Broadband Connectivity Reports and Analyses
- Mobile and fixed broadband prices in Europe
- Study on broadband coverage in Europe
Contact information
BCO Ireland (national Broadband Competence Office):
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Address: 29-31 Adelaide Road, Dublin, D02 X285, Ireland
Contact via email
Phone: +353 1 6782337
Website
Commission for Communications Regulation
Address: 1 Dockland Central, Guild Street, Dublin 1, D01 E4X0, Ireland
Contact via email
Phone: + 353 1 804 9600
Website
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Big Picture
Find current information on broadband development in each country, as well as national strategies and policies for developing broadband.
See Also
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Slovakia has set the long-term objective of providing all households with access to ultra-fast internet by 2030.
Romania’s broadband plan focuses on building up a national broadband network as a first step towards achieving the EU connectivity targets.
The Agenda Portugal Digital aims at development of a digital infrastructure that allows citizens to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by technologies.
Poland’s national broadband plan 2025 is in line with the EU’s Gigabit Society targets.
All households in the Netherlands should have the opportunity to access broadband networks of at least 100 Mbps and a vast majority should be taking advantage of 1 Gbps by 2023.
Malta’s broadband policy is technology-neutral and favours a competitive market environment.
The development of a communication infrastructure with a target of gigabit broadband access throughout the country is one of the priorities in the governmental programme of Luxembourg.
Lithuania aims to provide 100 Mbps by 2027 to rural areas as well supporting the Gigabit society targets 2025.
Latvia supports the Gigabit society targets and aims at 100 Mbps, upgradable to gigabit, for urban and rural areas as well as 5G coverage for all large urban areas.
The Italian Strategy for Ultra Broadband Towards the Gigabit Society aims to provide gigabit connectivity to all by 2026.
Hungary’s National Digitalisation Strategy 2021-2030 aims to achieve a target of 95% of households covered by gigabit networks by 2030.
The National Broadband Plan 2021-2027 promotes the use of fixed very high capacity and 5G networks. The Greek Digital Transformation Bible 2020-2025 highlights connectivity as one of the five strategic axes and acknowledges the Gigabit Society 2025 targets.
The 2021 coalition agreement, the Digital Strategy and the Gigabit Strategy 2022 of the German Federal Government prioritise the nationwide supply of FTTH and 5G networks.
The national broadband programme France Très Haut Débit sets a target of fast broadband access for all households by 2022 and fibre for all by 2025.
The Finnish authorities favour a competition-driven, fibre-based network roll-out assisted by public funds for underserved areas and advice for local municipalities on how to deploy broadband networks.
Estonia has established basic broadband coverage throughout the country. The Estonian Digital Agenda sets ambitious targets for 2030.
A number of political initiatives aiming at nation-wide fixed and mobile broadband coverage support Danish broadband goals. The Government works towards making Denmark a digital frontrunner by creating a foundation for Danish businesses to exploit digital technologies.
The National Plan for the Development of Very High Capacity Networks, approved in March 2021, defines the strategic approach of the Czech Republic to the construction of VHCN.
Cyprus’ broadband plan sets strategic objectives for 2021-2025 and includes legislative and regulatory interventions as well as practical support for the development of broadband infrastructure.
Croatian National Plan for Broadband Development 2021–2027 responds to the European Gigabit Society objectives 2025 and partially to the 2030 digital targets.
The National Broadband Infrastructure Plan for Next Generation Access "Connected Bulgaria" and the Policy on electronic communications were updated and adopted in August 2020.
Belgium’s broadband strategy is incorporated into a broader policy strategy Digital Belgium. The aim of the national plan for fixed and mobile broadband is to eliminate the remaining white areas where high speed services are unavailable. By lowering costs and reducing...
Austria’s broadband strategy focuses on the nationwide supply of Gigabit connections (fixed and mobile) by 2030.