Dundalk is to become the first town on ESB-Vodafone’s SIRO network of 50 fibre towns that will be 100pc covered by 1Gbps fibre broadband.

More than 800 homes and businesses in the Coes Road area of Dundalk will be the first to be offered a trial of 1Gbps fibre broadband at the end of September.

All homeowners and businesspeople within Dundalk town who are interested in receiving SIRO should register at www.siro.ie.

“SIRO will revolutionise the broadband experience in Dundalk town,” said SIRO CEO Sean Atkinson.

‘SIRO will mean that anyone starting a business in Dundalk will be able to compete not just at a national level, but at an international level’ – SEAN ATKINSON

“Our 100pc fibre optic network, which delivers fibre broadband directly to the home, without the need for copper, provides speeds of 1Gbps.”

Retailers selling broadband will begin offering SIRO’s technology from the autumn.

Across the country, SIRO intends to connect 50 towns to 1Gbps broadband.

Ireland’s fibre revolution

Last October, the European Commission gave the duo the go-ahead to build a €450m 100pc fibre network in Ireland.

In recent months, Vodafone completed fibre-to-the-premises technical trials with ESB on 300 homes in Cavan, achieving speeds of 940Mbps.

Atkinson said that Dundalk being 100pc covered by 1Gbps will be a first for Ireland.

“SIRO will mean that anyone starting a business in Dundalk will be able to compete not just at a national level, but at an international level.

“It will mean that students will be able to send large files instantly, that families can download a movie in a few seconds and that working from home is a real prospect for employees,” Atkinson said.

“It will mean a completely new internet for Dundalk. Dundalk has a vibrant local economy and a growing digital future, which we are delighted to be a part of.”