IDA Ireland welcomes launch of 4G WiMAX Network

Broadband moves into the fast lane with Intel and Motorola supporting Imagine in Irish WiMAX investment

IDA Ireland welcomed the recent announcement by Imagine Communications Group that it is investing €100m in developing a 4th generation mobile WiMAX network in Ireland. The company has selected global giant Motorola as it technical partner to assist building out its network, which will bring 4G high speed broadband to businesses, homes, and those on the move throughout Ireland.

Launched by Taoiseach Brian Cowen in Dublin's Mansion House, the Taoiseach said WiMAX will elevate Ireland as the IT envy of Europe.

"WiMAX is of particular importance and a great vote of confidence in Irish business, the economy and our people." the Taoiseach said. 

Mr Cowen added that WiMAX “addresses next generation access and the Digital Divide” for businesses and consumers and “drives the smart economy” to create technology and manufacturing jobs.  Imagine itself will create 200 new hi-tech jobs as it rolls out WiMAX.

Speaking at the WiMAX launch at Dublin's Mansion House, Mr Sean Bolger, Imagine's CEO, said WiMAX is a world-leading access technology that can be rolled out more cost-effectively than fibre and cable broadband.

Imagine intends to provide broadband and phone services in Ireland, over and above European speeds and quality, at European prices.

Barry O’Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland, welcoming the announcement, said “this investment will add a key piece to our national infrastructure and help drive greater competitiveness in the telecommunications sector. It clearly demonstrates the benefits that accrue to Ireland when multinational and indigenous companies collaborate to develop and roll out key technologies”.

Mr Jim O'Hara, General Manager of Intel Ireland, said that WiMAX is a game-changing technology. 

"Many people in the country are operating on a 1Mbps speed at the moment, even if they think they are paying for higher.  WiMAX is easily achieving 8Mbps, and this will be increased.  Intel is going to provide WiMAX embedded laptops and PCs from early 2010," Mr O'Hara concluded. 

Also speaking at the launch, Motorola's Head of Sales Steve McCaffery said: "Today's announcement is very significant for Motorola as we see Ireland as a key strategic market for WiMAX due to the digital divide and broadband deficits which causes lower broadband speeds and higher prices than the rest of Europe," he said. 

About Imagine:
Imagine Communications Group is a pan-European communications provider.  The Group has substantial business operations in Europe with overall network reach extending to Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway and the USA.  In Ireland Imagine provides fixed voice, broadband, IP and ISP services.  Imagine is the No. 2 business telecoms company in Ireland and provides services to 17,000 businesses.  Imagine also provides residential customers across the country with the Imagine, Gaelic Telecom, Access and Cinergi brands and serves 10% of the Irish population with broadband. 

Imagine is led by its founder, Sean Bolger, a European Telecoms Entrepreneur who has founded and operated businesses in fixed, mobile and data telecommunications services for nearly 20 years. 

About WiMAX:
WiMAX, (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), is a new standards-based wireless technology designed to deliver wireless wide area network services.  WiMAX enables the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband like cable and DSL.  WiMAX provides fixed, nomadic, portable and, soon mobile, wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of- sight with a base station.  WiMAX can be expected to deliver capacity of up to 40 Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access applications.  The multi-Billion dollar national rollout of WiMAX is underway in the US and is supported by Google, Intel, Comcast and Time Warner.  475 WiMax networks were deployed in 140 countries as of April 2009 and more than 50 million users expected in 2014.


For further information, please contact:

Brian O'Donohoe, Commercial Director, Imagine: 087 669 0307

James McDonald, Model Communications, 087-9352565

Thomas McEvoy, Press & PR Manager, IDA Ireland, 087-7426684