Farmers are leading in the take-up rates for high-speed fibre broadband, with almost 60,000 farms now able to access the service.

The take-up rate among farms stands at 44%, "significantly higher" than the national average of 36%, according to National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP).

It said this is "demonstrating the appetite that farms and farming families have for high-speed internet connectivity".

A total of 59,137 farms in the rollout area can now access high-speed fibre broadband, with 26,247 already connected, NBI said.

In total, 65,000 farms will be able to connect to fibre broadband when the infrastructure rollout is completed at the end of the year, ending Ireland’s rural-urban digital divide, the company contended.

NBI recently said it had passed nearly 524,000 premises in its rollout of the National Broadband Plan. To date, almost 190,000 premises across the country have connected to the NBI network. 

Connecting rural Ireland

Chair of National Broadband Ireland, David McCourt said connecting rural Ireland was never simply about broadband.

"It was about creating opportunity, supporting economic growth, and ensuring that geography no longer determines access to education, healthcare, business opportunities or innovation.

“The fact that more than 26,000 farms are already connected to the NBI network is a powerful illustration of how transformational connectivity can be for families, farms and communities across the country.

"As we near completion of this historic infrastructure project, we can see the lasting legacy the National Broadband Plan will leave for future generations," McCourt said.

CEO of National Broadband Ireland, TJ Malone said farmers and farm families are embracing fibre broadband faster than any other group.

From herd management apps and precision machinery, to running diversified farm businesses, high-speed broadband is unlocking opportunities that were unthinkable just a few years ago, Malone said.

He said: "With the main NBP infrastructure rollout set for completion by the end of this year, we are in the final stages of delivering a future-proofed network that will serve generations of rural families and businesses.

"We’re encouraging all farms to contact their broadband providers and get connected to the NBI network."

As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers.

"With more than 50 broadband providers actively selling on NBI’s open-access network, rural communities now have access to the same level of competition and choice as those in urban areas," Malone said.

National Broadband Ireland said its website is regularly updated to show estimated timeframes allowing people to gauge when their area will be ready for service.