National Broadband Ireland : implementation and progress

Strettie11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895059#Comment_117895059

Well considering I and a number of others on here are on day 131 of preorder and based on earliest implementation we have we are likely to reach 180 days of preorder do not get too excited

Keepitclean

I am about 140 days since I input my preorder on April 29th. I am in the Ballinasloe area. Hopefully it will be installed soon.

NBI won't confirm a date and say ask the reseller you have preordred from. The reseller says they don't know when it will be ready to installed and were hopefully of this year.

Orebro

Game over man

https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/nbp-boss-says-rural-broadband-acceleration-wont-happen-for-years-40854221.html

Pique

To watch the videos, go to https://www.oireachtas.ie/hourly/ then choose Committee 2 and 15th Sep 2021.

The videos are

cr2_20210915T115243.000480.mp4 (Approx 47 mins in for Peter Hendrick after introduction to session by chair)

cr2_20210915T115243.000481.mp4

cr2_20210915T115243.000482.mp4

Summary of what Hendrick said in the first vid is as follows (Haven't watch them all yet)

NBI currently working in all counties.

1000+ people hired including those in Actavo, KN, Secto, TLI, Indigo, Integro.

251000+ premises surveyed

221000+ designed or in detailed design.

108000+ premises under construction with works under way

23000+ available to place an order today rising to 60000 in December

371 BCPs installed including over 140 schools(contractual obligations for 2020 met in full for BCPs)

900+ BCPs by end of 2023

Minimum speed 500mbps

Covid caused need to rebaseline rollout in April 2021 targetting 60000 premises by year-end

One contractor had 40% of workforce unavailable between Dec 2020 and Mar 2021 due to covid

NBI have contracted OpenEir to do pole replacement and duct repair from 1st Oct 2021

NBI pushing tree-trimming contractors to do more.

NBI bringing forward premises currently scheduled in 2025 and 2026 to shorten overall rollout timeframe. Additional contractor resources in Q4 2021 to facilitate this.

This bit is interesting, and I don't know if he was quizzed on it until I watch the rest of the videos.

Those in amber areas located adjacent to commercial operators areas:

NBI is consulting with 3rd parties to identify alternative wholesale solutions. If such suitable options are identified, they will be provided by 3rd party suppliers but provisioned, activated and assured by NBI and subject to the same SLAs as the rest of the NBI network. The pre-qualification phase has been completed on this and is moving to the next stage of the tender process. Frameworks to be in place by the end of the year with pilot implementations done during Q1 2022.

Does this sound like wireless to anyone else, or is it just me? Maybe it means getting Eir or Siro to pick up those premises?

Steve F

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895283#Comment_117895283

Ahhhhh Jaysus

Orebro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895570#Comment_117895570

That last bit is interesting alright - perhaps its about getting Eir to fill in some of the fibre gaps where NBI would have to run many miles of cable just to get to a small few houses? (Wishful thinking!!)

Steve F

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895283#Comment_117895283

I have the feeling of so close yet so far

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895283#Comment_117895283

Went on the the NBI site and my area has moved from showing projected installation dates of "July-Dec 2022" out to "Jan-Mar 2023" in the last day or two.

Over year out and they are pushing the dates out another 3-6 months.

Not good.

TimHorton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895679#Comment_117895679

Its a mess , Anticipated date for connection:January 2025 - December 2026

joe123

NBI bringing forward premises currently scheduled in 2025 and 2026 to shorten overall rollout timeframe. Additional contractor resources in Q4 2021 to facilitate this.

What does that even mean? Half the country is scheduled for 2025/2026

Those in amber areas located adjacent to commercial operators areas:

NBI is consulting with 3rd parties to identify alternative wholesale solutions. If such suitable options are identified, they will be provided by 3rd party suppliers but provisioned, activated and assured by NBI and subject to the same SLAs as the rest of the NBI network. The pre-qualification phase has been completed on this and is moving to the next stage of the tender process. Frameworks to be in place by the end of the year with pilot implementations done during Q1 2022.

On one hand it sounds like "get Siro or OpenEir" to connect FTTH. On the other it sounds like get some form of wireless set up covered. I hope someone asked for clarification on that.

Again seems oddly coincidental that OpenEir have expanded their FTTC upgrade to cover a further 200k homes (even if some of those were already getting 30Mb+, it is also including those <30Mb.

ussjtrunks

I’m thinking even the 2026 date is optimistic the rate it’s going.

SkepticQuark

Everyone complaining about the dates being years from now when we knew it was a 7 year plan makes 0 sense to me?

Also, the acceleration plan not helping anyone in the first opening years was known already, that's old news.

Can we please for the love of god stop the bullshit of worshipping building masts around the country or "just launch the satellites", both were considered, both were thrown out for a reason if you're still on that boat you're misinformed or trying to promote the lazy way out which was done before.

Also saw people trying to suggest that 7 years from now fibre wouldn't be good enough or something and like I'm sorry but if you said that when countries were doing electrification you'd sound pretty silly now in hindsight.

We've done the fast solution before, we've done the mobile coverage solution before, they don't work. If you're trying to argue Eir or Siro should suddenly take over, you want the government to then deal with the legal hell of cancelling a contract that probably has no reason to be torn up yet given how early we are in the process.

Also, it's not like NBI and their contractors are doing absolutely nothing but sitting around, I go between Limerick and Tipperary exchange areas quite often and for the last month or two, I've seen them working in multiple places every day. Electrification wasn't done in a year, neither will this, if you are down for 2025-2027 I'm sorry but you were always going to wait until the end of the rollout, someone has to.

Pique

What does that even mean? Half the country is scheduled for 2025/2026

I think it means that the rollout which was 2020-2027 initially will be shortened by probably a year to 2026. Hendrick wasn't 100% clear on what he said in that part. Maybe he meant those in 26/27 will be pushed up to 25/26.

As SkepticQuark says though, what are we expecting? All done and dusted in 5 years when the first 2 years had an 18 month pandemic included? No doubt this will give the nay-sayers further ammo to decry the NBP and so be it. It's not gonna make any difference either way. If NBI can shorten a 7 year project to 6 years while also dealing with 18 months of serious manpower shortages they should be feckin applauded.

The Cush

I think it means that the rollout which was 2020-2027 initially will be shortened by probably a year to 2026. Hendrick wasn't 100% clear on what he said in that part. Maybe he meant those in 26/27 will be pushed up to 25/26.

2025 and 2026 are year 6 and 7 of the rollout plan, any acceleration of the rollout would see these premises passed earlier. It was mentioned near the end of the committee discussion that an accelerated rollout schedule might be available by the end of the year, see Committee discussion from 2:10:00 onwards.

"the target is to see if we can do it within 5 years" TJ Malone, CEO NBI Deployment

Orebro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896091#Comment_117896091

Not sure which thread you've been reading but nobody on this one is shouting for wireless or satellite - in fact the vast majority are quite the opposite!

We are all very well aware this is a 7 year plan. The issue people have at the moment is there is a massive lack of information and the bits they do provide are as clear as mud. The other issue people have is that in the last few days the dates have been pushed out. For example, I myself went from "Survey Underway, estimated connection Jan 23 to Dec 23" to "Survey Planned, estimated connection Jan 23 to Dec 24" - now you cannot expect any reasonable person to just stand back and say "Grand" to something like that.

To be clear, we are all delighted fibre is being rolled out, none of us want a wireless/satellite solution, but we are well within our rights to keep a close eye on progress and criticize where it is warranted. It is taxpayers money after all so we all have a say in it.

Redriddick

Works continuing on the Athlone Road outside roscommon.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117898296#Comment_117898296

Indeed - Everyone knows it's not an overnight fix and that the last 12-18 months have been extremely difficult.

However , it's the communication or more correctly the complete lack of it that is the key point of frustration.

Despite being signed up to be "kept informed about the progress in my area" I have not once received any kind of update from them.

I get the odd generic marketing fluff email, but not once have I been sent an update that was actually pertinent to me.

Not when they first put a date up for start of the survey stage , not when they started the survey stage , not when they put up a date for a potential installation and not recently when that potential install date was pushed out by 6 months.

How difficult would it be for them to send those updates , covid or otherwise??

oppiuy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896091#Comment_117896091

I think you find that most people didn't have an idea on what was happening with this until this week. There was very little information to view but all we could see was that areas with multiple choices of Broadband getting connected up. Just looks like the same old same.

Its sound like your saying Tough Luck, to those will no broadband right now and they should suck it up until 2027. As an interim, more masts and bigger capacity is the answer in rural areas. The reason they are slow at the moment in some areas is because its peoples only option. Starlink are now making connections possible and of course we should discuss it

So if your saying no to extra masts, capacity or Spectrum and satellite providers for those with no or little BB right now, what would your suggestion or advise to those folks

Pique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117898692#Comment_117898692

As this is the NBP Implementation & Progress thread, I use it as the one-stop-shop for info on the NBP Implementation & Progress.

I'm not trying to gatekeep here but info on alternatives to see you through to whenever you do get FTTH are probably best asked in other threads.

Providers won't be adding masts imo when they know the NBP is gonna make them obsolete in a few years. They may add bandwidth in the interim. I'm using 4g with a decent router and my speeds went from c.5-15mbps to c.40-50mbps in the last 6 months. I totally feel your pain, we all do. I've waited for decent BB since 2010.

My point is that discussion of mobile broadband, fixed wireless and Starlink is best kept to the threads dedicated to them.

oppiuy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117898978#Comment_117898978

Cool, i see your point. I think what happened was the release of info and dates this week saw people jump in here for updates and then chat about alternatives. I have 4G with an antenna in the attic. Decent speeds mostly during the day to get me through WFH but evenings are a disaster. TBH i don't really care about FTTH and the great speeds it gives. Id kill for a constant stable 15-20MB. That would fill this house needs no problem

dam099

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117898692#Comment_117898692

Extra masts and capacity probably wont happen on commercial basis are you suggesting the Government subsidise them? Similarly with Starlink? The NBP is already costing a lot of money, its highly unlikely the Govt will stump up more cash to subsidise temporary solutions in the interim. Unfortunately that means rural users are going to have to wait, if its that critical to you then order Starlink and pay their full price. Not having high speed broadband in rural areas is not something unique to Ireland, its the same in lots of countries, we at least have a plan to address this (albeit slower than some would like and costing more than others would).

oppiuy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899096#Comment_117899096

Hi,

No not suggesting the government Subsidise anything extra. Starlink is now an option for me which is great. Until this week i had no idea when NBI would pass, now 2025/26. At least i have an option now, even if its costly at the moment.

3g 4g 5g does need investment but in the form of Comreg releasing extra spectrum and not charging the earth for it, or the stupid block auction they have proposed. There are ways around all this but doesn't seem to be any discussion on it but increase capacity in mobile spectrum where needed and you give access and better access to those that really need it while a new network is built

joe123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117897683#Comment_117897683

Well the end of 2026 is the full 7 year timeline. So if they are saying they are looking to do it within 5, that would mean completion by the end of 2024. Thats 3 and a half years left to fully complete.

Would be amazing if it was doable, but considering the slow rollout so far and constant delays (yes I know Covid etc etc) Sounds impossible to me at this rate.

They have honestly been talking about acceleration for nearly 2 years now with no info on how. The only way I could see it working is if they work hand in hand with Eir and Siro but there has been pretty much nothing said on this either.

Pique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899532#Comment_117899532

Yeah my maths wasn't good last night lol.

So then he might mean that they are looking to push up the dates for those currently in 25/26. ✌️

Losing 18 months to covid and still making 7 years would be good. If anything, cutting a year off it would be a massive achievement.

Steve F

As I posted yesterday my premises went from OCTOBER- December 2021 to PREORDER

For the Craic I clicked on pre order now link and see that Black Night,sky Digiweb and Net1 are ready to take orders, Vodafone are "Coming soon"

Guess who I have my broadband with at present? 😏

heavydawson

Anyone have any idea when the 700Mhz auction is happening? That should help provide a stopgap for rural 4G users once the operators role it out:

https://www.comreg.ie/comreg-to-hold-multi-band-spectrum-award/

NBAiii

Some more details on the "gap" premises that are currently close to commercial areas. According to Peter Hendrick:

When we talk about what we call infill, some of those are premises that are currently amber premises. We have defined them in terms of how we are looking at it from a solutions-based approach. We define them in terms of adjacent infill, where they are next to what we call a blue area, where there is a commercial operator, or urban infill, where premises are more urban but there is not a commercial network providing a service today, and then rural extension. As part of the procurement process that we have under way, we have engaged with a number of infrastructure providers to see how we could extend parts of our network and their network in terms of finding a solution. It helps us to also focus on the wider roll-out plan and the acceleration plan.That is under way at the moment. We have gone through pre-qualification to see if each of these infrastructure providers can meet the contractual requirements in terms of service obligations, future-proofing and the SLAs, and we have had a positive outcome from that. We are going through that framework process over the coming months and we will have a pilot early next year. That pilot is to test that all of the technical pieces work and also the integration between our software systems and their software systems, where appropriate. Quite a lot of work has been going on since the beginning of the year to look at this.

He then goes on to say:

On the deployment plan and its impact on people who live close to other networks, obviously we are deploying this across all 26 counties and it is difficult to meet all demands at any one time. Hence, we looked at two things. The first was how we approach infill premises. These are premises that are close to what we call the commercial areas. These premises are in urban areas and could be connected to networks today if we had a contract in place with certain operators. That is under way at the moment. We have a pre-qualification framework in place, as I said earlier on. We will put that in place at the end of this year, with pilots early next year. I hope this will resolve the challenges that a number of people face today with broadband.

In the first instance he mentions rural extension which would imply getting open eir to extend their 340k but then in the second quote he states they are urban premises. I think it is safe to say that it would be open eir , Siro and potentially Virgin Media that would be the infrastructure providers mentioned.

Unfortunately they were not questioned more on the issue by the Committee, the level of technical knowledge is really poor among the questioners. They seemed delighted however that NBI took them out and let them look into some chambers and up some poles.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899945#Comment_117899945

Awaiting the judgment of Three's appeal to the High Court on certain aspects of the auction.

High Court record no. 2021/9 MCA

The Appeal hearing was held in June 2021. It was mentioned in court on 23 July and was adjourned with the Court indicating that further directions would be issued to the parties.

The Cush

Transcript of the Communication's Committee discussion with NBI is now up on the Committee's website

Joint Committee on Transport and Communications debate - Wednesday, 15 Sep 2021 (oireachtas.ie)

bdogg

Went from "network build in progress" estimated Oct-Dec 21 to Pre-Order today... Blackrock, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Got my pre-order in... going on the experience of others here - won't hold my breath until I get an installation survey appointment.