NBI shelves plan to deliver Broadband Plan in five years

Company reverts to original seven-year deadline as politicians criticise delays, but executives predict rollout will ultimately be successful

David McCourt, chairman of NBI. Last week, NBI was again criticised by politicians for the pace of delivery on the network while the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee said it did not believe the project had delivered value for money to the taxpayer to date. Picture: Maura Hickey

Plans to deliver the National Broadband Plan in five years have been shelved as a result of significant delays to the rollout and the belief that the ESB would deliver no more than 1 per cent of the network if drafted in to assist with the multibillion-euro project.

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company tasked with bringing the state-subsidised network to 550,000 largely rural premises, has been battling to make up ground on its rollout ...