Open eir passes 14,000 Longford homes and businesses with full fibre network

Open eir, the wholesale broadband subsidiary of telecom company eir, said today announced it has passed over 14,000 homes and businesses in Longford and 1.5 million premises nationally, with its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband network.

The company described what they said has been '€5 million programme investment in the county with 90 % of the full-fibre rollout now complete', which it described as a 'significant milestone'.

The company said the 'significant milestone' means that four million people across Ireland can access ultrafast full fibre connectivity.

Open eir said this cements 'Ireland’s status as one of Europe’s most digitally connected nations'.

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The company said more than 54,000 kilometres of fibre has now been laid by open eir, linking urban centres, villages and remote communities.

Backed by eir’s €2 billion multiyear investment in fibre and 5G, this rollout ensures the country’s networks keep pace with the evolving needs of citizens, businesses and public services.

When open eir completes its fibre rollout, the largest broadband build ever undertaken in Ireland, alongside National Broadband Ireland’s delivery to remaining rural areas, Ireland will achieve truly ubiquitous fibre connectivity.

This nationwide infrastructure is a cornerstone of economic competitiveness, regional development and public service delivery, ensuring every community can participate fully in the digital economy.

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Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport commented on the announcement: “This is a major milestone for Ireland and a clear sign of the progress we are making in building a truly connected country.

"Passing 1.5 million homes and businesses with full fibre means more people, in every part of Ireland, can access fast, reliable connectivity that is now essential for work, education and daily life.

"Crucially this is about more than speed, it’s about opportunity. It supports regional development, enables remote working, and ensures our communities can compete and thrive.”

Oliver Loomes, CEO of eir, said: “Passing 1.5 million homes and businesses with full fibre is a hugely significant moment for eir and reflects years of sustained investment in Ireland’s digital future.

"This network is already transforming how people work, learn and do business in County Longford, providing the reliability, speed and resilience that modern life demands.

"Crucially, this milestone is a testament to the dedication and skill of our teams across the country, who have delivered one of the most ambitious fibre builds in Europe. Their commitment has created lasting infrastructure that will serve Ireland’s communities and economy for decades to come.”

Maeve O’Malley, Managing Director of open eir Wholesale, said: “We are delighted to have delivered our fibre to the home network to 1.5 million homes and businesses.

"This is Ireland’s largest full fibre network and today marks a defining moment for open eir and Ireland’s digital landscape, powered by our €2bn investment into future proofed networks.

"Our engineers’ skill and drive have made this possible, fuelling a forward-looking network and future ready infrastructure.

"With rising fibre adoption, we’re delivering the dependable, high-speed access essential for working, studying or trading from any corner of Ireland.

“Fibre is faster, more resilient and more energy efficient, and it is central to Ireland’s climate and digital ambitions. By combining our nationwide fibre rollout with 99% 5G population coverage, we are building a platform for innovation, productivity and regional development that will benefit communities for decades to come.”

Open eir said the FTTH network sets the standard for performance and dependability across homes and workplaces, delivering up to 5 Gigabit (5Gbps) speeds to all wholesale partners.

The company said it outperforms ageing technologies with superior speeds, minimal latency and top-tier uptime, fibre also cuts energy use and servicing costs.

Open eir said 30 retail providers on the network gives 'Irish consumers abundant choices in plans and suppliers, spurring affordability, rivalry and fresh offerings' in broadband.

The company said the importance of this rollout is underscored by findings from the eir Digital Ireland Report 2025, 'which show data traffic on eir’s fibre network has grown exponentially since 2019 as households and businesses increasingly rely on digital services for work, education and commerce'.

The company said delivering a fibre‑first Ireland, aligned with national and EU Digital Decade goals, will provide the resilient, future‑proofed connectivity required to support enterprise growth, remote working and emerging technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things.