Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Monaghan, four of the State’s 27 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) towns, will receive a huge economic boost from the direct high-speed telecommunications link to North America, according to e|net, managers of the State’s fibre optic MANs.
Conal Henry, CEO of e|net commented, “e|net is delighted with the Department’s announcement that Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Monaghan will all benefit from this major new direct fibre optic connection to the US. This direct, high-speed international connectivity is a massive boost for businesses in these towns and will dramatically increase their attractiveness for future foreign direct investment. Companies can set up there and be confident that they can operate successfully in the global market.”
Henry went on to say, “e|net and the MANs are already delivering on the policy objectives of expanding and retaining foreign direct investment in regional Ireland, reducing the cost of high quality broadband, and increasing competition for telecommunications in the regions. Initiatives such as this transatlantic link are critical in developing and exploiting the investment in the MANs.”
The project, dubbed Project Kelvin, is a cross-border venture co-financed under the EU’s INTERREG IVA in a partnership between the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural resources and the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Without this direct international link, telecoms traffic from these towns has to use third party external networks, such as London or Amsterdam, which increases costs and response times.