30th June 2008
by Deirdre McArdle

Smart Telecom has signed a multi-million-euro deal with ESB Telecoms that will enable it to target 1.5 million users with fibre-based broadband services.

Under the three-year deal, ESB Telecoms - the telecoms arm of ESB - is providing Smart with a high-capacity broadband infrastructure across two national fibre rings that cover the whole country. The deal significantly boosts Smart's target audience, giving the firm the potential to target as many as 1.5 million users with next-generation broadband services. Smart Telecom said it will use the 10Gbps of capacity to roll out high-capacity business and residential services, including IPTV (Internet Protocol TV). IPTV is a means of providing television services through a broadband internet connection.

In the current climate where being 'green' has become a high priority among tech firms, Smart claims the deal with ESB Telecoms is enabling it to reduce its carbon footprint. As the infrastructure is fibre-based, it has lower power requirements than copper-based services.

ESB Telecoms, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ESB, provides wholesale telecoms services. Its network includes a 1,300km nationwide fibre-optic network, 14 Points of Presence (PoPs) and over 300 radio sites throughout the country. The network is connected to several Metropolitan Area Networks, (MAN's) around the country as well as various data centers in the Dublin area.

Earlier this year Smart Telecom released a number of high-speed broadband packages with speeds up to 15Mbps. The firm is currently marketing these products to 550,000 users around the country.