NBI promises early delivery of fibre broadband to 65,000 homes
- NBI claims to deliver fiber broadband to 65,000 premises sooner than expected.
- Over 320,000 premises have access to the NBI network, with 110,000 already connected.
- The organization is under scrutiny due to past delays and target changes but remains focused on completing the rollout.
In Ireland, National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has announced that it is progressing ahead of schedule with the National Broadband Plan (NBP). As of January 6, 2025, the company has made fiber broadband accessible to 320,829 premises, with more than 110,043 already connected to their network. The NBI claims that it will deliver services to 65,000 additional homes and businesses earlier than originally planned, pushing the completion date for these locations to 2025, which is up to nine months sooner than previously stated. Notably, 32,000 of these premises were moved from a 2026 timeline into the current year's works. Peter Hendrick, the CEO of NBI, expressed confidence in their preparations and noted that the progress they made in 2024 has strengthened their position to complete the rollout on time and within budget. With only two years left in the project's timeline, he emphasized that they are committed to providing communities with the high-speed connectivity they deserve. However, NBI has faced scrutiny in the past regarding delays and fluctuating targets. In May of the previous year, they indicated plans to reach 300,000 premises by the end of 2024. Despite these vision statements, criticisms regarding the value and efficiency of the project have surfaced repeatedly. A 2022 report pointed out a major shortfall in the original targets set for the NBP, revealing that only 34,454 premises had been serviced by January 31, 2022, far below the 115,000 originally intended. Additionally, as of February 2022, only 6,000 households had opted to receive the fiber broadband service. Consequent evaluations regarding NBI's rollout have shown mixed results, with some reports indicating that the project is halfway to its target and marking significant steps towards reducing the digital divide within the country. As the NBP continues to unfold, stakeholders remain focused on the promises made to enhance digital access across Ireland, recognizing that many challenges must still be addressed before full implementation is realized.