Island off Donegal set for the country's first subsea high-speed broadband cable
An island off the coast of Co Donegal could be set for the country's first subsea high-speed broadband cable after a tender was issued by the local authority.
Arranmore Island is already synonymous with broadband speeds quicker than many places on the mainland due to an initiative between islanders and mobile company Three, which also led to the opening last year of a digital hub as part of a campaign to attract people back to the island.
The island, which is a Gaeltacht area, has 469 permanent residents and is the second most populated island in the country after Inis Mor and is popular with secondary students in the summer months.
The current broadband connectivity has been delivered through a wireless leased line, culminating in the opening almost a year ago of the country’s first offshore digital hub in what was previously a restaurant in the ferry port of Leab.
The tender, issued in recent days by Donegal County Council, seeks to provide a physical subsea cable that will further enhance the island’’s connectivity.
It advertises for ’’supply and delivery to Burtonport, Co Donegal, of submersible optic fibre cable from competent and reputable suppliers’’.
According to the tender: "In 2017/2018, Arranmore Island Community Council initiated a campaign to target a number of families to return to the island. This initiative would have the benefit of adding to the island’’s declining population as well as generating employment and economic activity. A digital hub with high-speed broadband was an essential first step to making this a reality.
"In collaboration with Donegal County Council, the Community Council opened a co-working facility in 2019 in partnership with 3 (Three) Ireland, providing wireless high-speed internet access which the island had previously not had. 3 (Three) Ireland has produced a major marketing campaign ’’The Island’’ based on this.
In an attempt to provide more resilience to the high-speed internet service to the island, the installation of a submersible fibre optic cable from the mainland, Burtonport to Arranmore Island via Rutland Island is being considered.
At the opening of the Modam Digital Hub on Arainn Mhor last April, Adrian Begley of Arranmore Business Council told the Irish Examiner that the island’s longer-term plan was for physical superspeed fibre cable to be connected to the island.
He said this would help with the aim of Arranmore becoming "the most connected island in the world" and that this would benefit not just people returning to or moving to the island, but those already living and working there.
"There’s the existing inhabitants not having to go to urban centres for everything; there are the people who have had to move away to create a lifestyle for themselves and can now move back and spend longer holidays here; and those who have never lived here and want to experiment, whether it’s to write a book or create or design something," he said.
The closing date for receipt of tenders is noon on April 9 and according to Donegal County Council: "It is an absolute prerequisite that the goods will be delivered no later than Thursday April 29, 2020."
The issuing of the tender may prompt other islands to seek similar connectivity - Sherkin Island off the coast of West Cork has already suggested that it receive fiber connection.
