Mobile operator Vodafone Ireland has agreed a €17m deal with E-net which it says will help it to develop its mobile broadband infrastructure.
E-net manages the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) of fibre-optic cables built by the Government in 27 towns across the country.
Under the deal, E-net will provide fibre-optic connections to a large number of Vodafone's regional and rural transmission sites across the country.
Vodafone Ireland CEO Charles Butterworth said the deal would enable the company to 'extend and deepen' mobile broadband coverage outside Dublin.
According to a recent EU report, mobile broadband, through 3G mobile networks, has seen much more dramatic growth in Ireland than in other EU countries. It has been criticised by some for having relatively lower speeds and capacity, though mobile operators say these are improving.
