National Broadband Ireland has said that over 19,000 premises are now eligible to order services on the new high-speed fibre broadband network, spanning the first deployment areas in Carrigaline, Galway city, Cavan town, Limerick city and Ballinasloe.
Customers in these locations can now order broadband services from their retail service providers (RSPs) of choice.
National Broadband Ireland is delivering the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on behalf of the Government.
It said it is actively working in 72 deployment areas across the country to design and build the new high-speed, fibre-to-the-home network, which will connect over 1.1 million people and over 544,000 premises in the project's Intervention Area.
Over 92,000 premises are currently in the build phase of the project in 25 deployment areas.
The build phase of the project includes the erection of poles, unblocking of ducts and the insertion of sub-duct into existing ducts, for fibre to be installed.
David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, said that in spite of the unprecedented disruption presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the company is working within the Government's guidelines to ensure that everyone can access high-speed broadband as quickly as possible.
"We will continue to build upon the progress we have made to-date, which includes surveying approximately a quarter of a million premises, and as the country starts to re-open from lockdown measures, we are confident that this will further assist us in the rollout of the high-speed, fibre-to-the-home network," Mr McCourt added.
