Old copper phone lines to be switched off with major investment in high-speed fibre in Offaly
mobile operators have undertaken a huge amount of work in throughout the county''
The old copper phone lines are to be switched off over the next few years as the switch to high speed fibre takes place.
According to Ray Bell, Broadband Officer with Offaly County Council, the old phone lines will be gone.
'We are trying to escalate broadband in Offaly'' he said. '
'By the end of this year 50% of Offaly will be covered by NBI (National Broadband Ireland) so they will be able to get fibre,'' he added.
Mr Bell gave a presentation to members at the monthly meeting of Tullamore Municipal District. He said that 13,000 premises in Offaly have still to get fibre, 50% of those will be done this year and by the end of next year it will be 80% while the remaining 20% will be finished in 2026, which is similar to the rest of the country, he said.
Mr Bell said that mobile operators have undertaken a huge amount of work throughout the whole of Offaly and ''we are well covered.''
From an investment point of view National Broadband Ireland are investing €48 million in Offaly. SIRO initially had only plans to roll out connectivity to Tullamore, ''but we a pushed them and they said they will roll it out to Edenderry, Birr and Portarlington,'' stressed Mr Bell. ''They made a commitment a few years ago to invest €10 million in Offaly, Eir have invested another €8 million in the county.''
In Tullamore there will be around 2,000 premises covered by summer of next year. The date was brought forward from the end of 2026.
Tullamore Urban, is covered by Eir, SIRO and Virgin. Eir is also working in Clara while Mucklagh is covered by Eir too. Mountbolus will be covered by NBI. Some work remains be done in Ballycumber. Rahan and Killurin now have fibre, he said.
Ray Bell said when you see a small black box on a pole and below that there is a circle of wire, it is a sign that there is fibre in your area.
Cathaoirleach of Tullamore Municipal District asked about the switching off of the copper wire phone lines.
''My understanding is there would be no landline telephones going forward. Give me a little bit more on that. The older generation depend on it to keep connectivity,'' he said.
''The copper switch off will happen. You will still be able to make a phone call. Instead of it going over a copper line it will send it out over fibre and broadband. Once fibre is in there there will be no problem,'' responded Mr Bell.