Openreach adds £100m to investment in NI rollout

Openreach will invest a further £100m to connect more than 100,000 further homes and businesses to its full fibre footprint in Northern Ireland.

This will take the company’s network from 87% of premises covered to 97%, without the need for further government investment.

As Director of Openreach, Garret Kavanagh will oversee the extended rollout. He said: “This final push will continue to have a transformative impact seen right across Northern Ireland, with some very remote rural areas being able to access full fibre technology for the first time.

“This technology opens endless opportunities. By supporting business and domestic access to the right level of connectivity regardless of location, people have improved choices on where to live and work, which will in turn accelerate a rebalancing of growth across our urban and local rural communities.

Openreach has also pledged to reduce energy consumption and waste in its Northern Ireland Build. It currently has 100 electric vehicles on the road, with more to join the fleet this year.

It will also use goods that are from recycled sources and is cutting single use plastics from its supply chain. Lastly it has begun its first solar panels pilot.