Cavan - Fibre-to-the-Building broadband network.

Cavan town named as one of the first launch towns for ESB and Vodafone's 100% Fibre-to-the-Building broadband network.

Participants in the technology trials to date believe that the network will make Cavan town more attractive for foreign direct investment

 At a meeting hosted in Cavan County Council by Shane P. O'Reilly, Chair of Cavan County Council; and Ger Finn, Chief Executive of Cavan County Council; and attended by Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht today, Vodafone and ESB presented details of their plans to deliver 100% fibre-to-the-building broadband network to Cavan town this autumn.

Vodafone and ESB's 100% fibre-to-the-building technology is completely different to any other broadband service in Ireland as it is an entirely new infrastructure 100% based on optical fibre. The new infrastructure can offer actual broadband speeds of 1000 Mbps, and has potential for even higher speeds as future technologies come online. When the service launches in Cavan, it will put the town on a par for broadband with some of the most advanced cities in the world like Tokyo and Hong Kong.

ESB and Vodafone selected Cavan as the first town to trial the technology last year. 300 homes in Aughnaskerry and Rocklands estates had the 100% fibre-to-the-building technology installed. Participants in the trial are able to experience the most powerful broadband in Ireland.

The technology will open up a new world of possibilities for Cavan town residents and businesses. There has been a very positive reaction to the trial to date, with over 80% of participants believing the service is superior to existing services, 50% of participants believing that it will help to make Cavan more attractive as a location for Foreign Direct Investment and over 50% of the trial participants also believe that it will encourage more people in Cavan to set up their own online business.

ESB and Vodafone are investing €450 million in a joint venture, which will use ESB's existing electricity infrastructure to deliver the fibre-to-the-building network across the country. Construction on the open access network, which will be available to all authorised broadband operators in the country, will commence this summer, before becoming available to consumers and businesses in the autumn. This means that other operators can resell the fibre product to their customers, helping to stimulate the development of new services and boosting retail competition in the broadband market for all Irish consumers and businesses. The 100% fibre-to-the-building network will initially reach 500,000 premises in 50 towns in phase one.

Speaking at the event, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD said, "Cavan's selection as one of the launch towns for ESB and Vodafone's broadband joint venture is a very positive development for the town. This service, when it begins rolling out in autumn, will help to attract investment, boost competitiveness and make it easier for entrepreneurs to expand their businesses online."

"By having access to broadband at such high speeds, Cavan will be on a par for broadband with some of the world's leading cities. This investment by Vodafone and ESB is an important complement to the Government's National Broadband Plan and will further increase the quality of Ireland's broadband services."

Ger Finn, Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, said, "I am delighted that Cavan will be one of the first towns in the country to receive this leading broadband service. It will be an important boost for Cavan's SMEs and professionals for whom working from home will now become a real option. It will also mean that residents in Cavan will be in a position to access the kinds of services that not been available to date. I am looking forward to seeing the service roll out later this year and I credit ESB and Vodafone for delivering the service to Cavan."

Sean Atkinson, CEO of ESB and Vodafone's Joint Venture Company, said: "We are delighted that Cavan will be one of the first towns in Ireland to experience this revolutionary technology. There has been a fantastic reception from Aughnaskerry and Rocklands residents, who are the first people in Ireland to experience a new type of broadband, which is powered entirely by light. Businesses in Cavan town will be on the same playing field as the most cutting edge cities in the world, providing a vital boost for the local economy.""The project brings together two leading international companies – ESB and Vodafone – with the technological expertise and infrastructural experience to make available the kind of future-proofed broadband service which will be a crucial element for Ireland's future competitiveness. Cavan and the forty nine other towns involved in the first phase will have access to the most powerful broadband in the country, making it more attractive for companies to consider investing in Ireland and helping to develop a new generation of online entrepreneurs in Cavan and beyond," Atkinson added.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Piaras Kelly, Edelman, 01-6789333, 086 8131691 piaras.kelly@edelman.com

Darina Sexton, Vodafone, 087 7753000 darina.sexton@vodafone.com

Kieran O'Neill, ESB, 01-7026193, 087-9349200, kieran.oneill@esb.ie

Notes to editors:

Background to joint venture ESB began a tender process in September 2012 to find a partner in a joint venture company to deploy a fibre-to-the-building network using ESB Networks overhead and underground infrastructure as part of its innovation strategy. Vodafone emerged as the preferred bidder for the project in September 2013, when both companies entered exclusive negotiations. The agreement to form the new joint venture company was signed by the two organisations on 2nd July 2014 with EU regulatory approval secured in November 2014. About ESB

ESB is Ireland's leading sustainable energy company, comprising Power Generation, Networks, Supply and International divisions. Founded in 1927, ESB makes a major contribution to the Irish economy, financing, building and maintaining the State's vital electricity infrastructure as well as providing a world-class service to the public. As the largest semi-State company in Ireland, ESB has an annual turnover of almost €3bn and invests approximately €1bn per annum in capital expenditure. ESB is the first energy company in Europe to set a date of 2035 to decarbonise its power generation and by 2020 will be delivering one-third of its electricity from renewable sources. To facilitate sustainability targets and economic growth, ESB is developing an advanced smart networks system and other innovative emerging technologies.www.esb.ie

About Vodafone Ireland

Vodafone is Ireland's leading total communications provider with 2.3 million customers. At 31st December 2014, the company had 2.1 million mobile customers and 275,500 customers of its fixed portfolio.Vodafone provides a total range of communications solutions including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications to consumers and to small, medium and large businesses. Since 2011, Vodafone has expanded its enterprise division, offering integrated next-generation fixed and mobile solutions in addition to cloud-based platforms, machine to machine services and professional ICT support.Vodafone Group is one of the world's leading international mobile communications groups with mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 54 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets.

For more information, please visit www.vodafone.ie