Broadband in the sewers coming to Ireland

Broadband connectivity through the sewers is coming to Ireland, following hot on the heels of fibre networks in Bournemouth, Sheffield and Dundee.

The i3 Group, a company working on deploying dark fibre networks in sewers, has already worked on Fibrecities' in Bournemouth and later this summer Dundee. Also, Sheffield will soon be having a Fibrezone'.

It is now extending these plans in a joint venture with Terra Solutions. Operating as H2O Ireland, the venture will set up offices in Newry in Northern Ireland, and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.

H2O Ireland said it already has plans to work on a Fibrecity network in the next twelve months, and that it would create new jobs in the area.

"Connectivity in Ireland is well behind where it should be," said Barry McAllister, who will be managing director of H2O Ireland.

"We plan to address this, as there needs to be an infrastructure that will enable next generation services delivery."