Overview of the broadband
developments in County Donegal
(Ireland) and the challenge of meeting
the High Speed Broadband targets of the
Digital Agenda For Europe (DAE)
Brian Boyle
ERNACT 21st Anniversary, Brussels, 18th
September 2012
INDEX
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County Donegal
Broadband Progression
Next challenge: High Speed Broadband
Where to aim ? : Finnish ENGAGE partner example
County Donegal
Donegal
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North West Ireland
Border region
Population: 161,137
Area: 4,841 km2
Low density population: 33.28 people/km2
Scattered population
County Donegal, www.donegal.ie
BROADBAND PROGRESSION
Evolution
Year 2012
• Widespread broadband availability :
• Competition in market place
• Fibre,DSL, Fixed Wireless, Mobile Services
• Services: web 2.0, eGovernment, social
media, eLearning, eWorking, eCommerce,
VoIP
Year 2002
• No market competition
• Low availability :
• Low Speeds:
• Services: email, limited on-line
services.
BROADBAND PROGRESSION
SOME SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS
•New Backhaul Connections
•Metropolitan Area Networks (MANS)
•Cross Border Interconnects
•CNS Wireless Broadband project
•National Broadband Scheme
•Rural Broadband Scheme
•Telecommunications Operator Initiatives
•Project Kelvin
Starting Point
Second Backhaul Connection
Metropolitan Area Networks Project
KMs
Letterkenny
Donegal Town
Buncrana
Ballybofey / Stranorlar
Ballyshannon
Bundoran
Carndonagh
Total
Total Costs
28.4
13.8
10.4
9.8
11.8
11.5
4.3
90 km
€16.1m
Donegal Co Council
Contribution
€1.75m
Cross-border Backhaul Interconnects
Buncrana
ESB Telecom
NWE
BT (Ireland) Eircom
BT (UK)
NWE
Bridgend
NTL
ESB Telecom
New Kelvin Link
ByTel
Derry
NWE
Letterkenny
BT Ireland Eircom
Community Network Services (CNS)
 Fixed Wireless
Service
 Speeds up to
50MB available
 Funded by IFI,
InterReg,Donegal
County Council,
Udaras Na
Gaeltachta
National Broadband Scheme (NBS)
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EU co-funding under the ERDF 2007-2013
Current NBS Service Specifications, Upload 1.2 – 4Mbps, Download 1.6 –
6.8Mbps
Specification from Oct 2012, Upload 1.4 – 4.8Mbps, Download 2.3 – 10.4Mbps
Project Kelvin – Linking Ireland NW to North
America and Europe
NEXT CHALLENGE : HIGH SPEED BROADBAND
Why High Speed Broadband?
• Changes in the way of consuming information:
• More interactive (social media)
• Higher data demanding (video, pictures,…)
• New HSB services:
• Business: cloud computing, virtual teams,…
• Householders: IPTV, video on demand, online gaming
• Public services: eHealth, eEducation, …
• HSB is key for knowledge-based growth
• Absence of HSB will generate digital divide
NEXT CHALLENGE : HIGH SPEED BROADBAND
Digital Agenda targets
2020
2013
100% internet
coverage
100% coverage of 50% households take-up
≥30Mbps
of ≥100Mbps
NEXT CHALLENGE : HIGH SPEED BROADBAND
Bigger challenge for rural areas
• National Broadband Plan
• FTTx based technology (even if using LTE for “last mile”)
• Non – commercial interest for private telecom providers:
• Return of investment is not clear
• Lower demand
• Rationale: social return of investment
• New financial models are needed (private-public
partnership, community based models,…)
Ireland - National Broadband Plan
 70Mbps - 100Mbps to more than half of the population
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by 2015
At least 40Mbps to at least a further 20% to 35% of the
population by 2018
A minimum of 30Mbps for every remaining home and
business in the country by 2020
Mapping Exercise to define the level of investment
Leveraging investment from both the private and
public sectors
ACHIEVABLE – ENGAGE Project
Question: Is this achievable in my region?
Answer: Others have done it.
Southern Ostrobothnia, Finnish partner in ENGAGE
Density: 8,8 inhabitants/km2
• Formed by 55 villages (50-500 inhabitants per village)
• Open access FTTx network owned by municipalities
• Over 2000 households and businesses with FTTHconnection
• Many customers getting 100 Mbits/s symmetrical
connections
• Possiblility to choose among 6 ISPs
• Financed with bank loans, regional, national & EU-funds and
money coming from the end-customers