eircom and O2 Announce Strategic Network Partnership

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Telefónica O2 Ireland and eircom Group today announced a major new strategic partnership to create the first comprehensive mobile network sharing arrangement in Ireland.

The agreement aims to provide the best mobile network infrastructure in the country. This collaboration by two of Ireland’s leading telecommunications companies will result in an unrivalled mobile experience for customers.  With growing demand for higher bandwidth services across Ireland, the partnership will facilitate the introduction of new technologies to provide customers with wider and faster broadband speeds. It is also fully aligned with the Government’s objective to provide next generation broadband to homes and businesses in Ireland.

The agreement brings greater co-operation in a number of areas of mobile network sharing such as site equipment, power supply, technology and transmission sharing. Wherever possible, existing sites of both operators will be consolidated and new sites will be jointly built. A dedicated team, made up of existing network staff from both organisations, will be established to manage the day-to-day build and operation of the distinct networks.

While O2 and eircom will work closely together, there is no transfer of assets and spectrum will not be shared under the new arrangement. All mobile operations supported by O2 (O2 and Tesco Mobile) and eircom Group (Meteor and eMobile) will continue to compete with each other, ensuring that customer choice in the market is maintained. 

Delivering benefits to customers

By improving network efficiencies, both companies will be able to continue to invest in developing innovative products and services, ultimately enhancing competition in the retail markets. Customers of both companies can expect to benefit from long-term improvements in coverage, particularly for services such as mobile broadband.

Speaking on behalf of eircom Group, CEO Paul Donovan said, “It is imperative that our industry continues to invest in both fixed and mobile platforms to underpin Ireland’s national recovery. The current economic realities require all operators to think creatively on how to operate more efficiently. This new collaboration between two of the largest operators in the Irish market demonstrates how working together we can deliver tangible benefits for customers.”

Stephen Shurrock, CEO of Telefonica O2 Ireland, said, “We continue to see strong demand from consumers and businesses alike for higher bandwidth services, as mobile data usage grows. Today’s announcement will enable us to not only deliver new and enhanced services, including faster broadband speeds, but also to do it in a much more efficient way, providing the best mobile infrastructure for the customer and the economy alike. There is a strong strategic requirement for greater collaboration and focus in the area of investment in helping to accelerate the introduction of new technologies and O2 is delighted to be at the forefront of this development.”

Network sharing initiatives are becoming the norm rather than the exception globally (with initiatives already implemented in a number of countries including the UK, Spain, France and the Czech Republic) facilitating investment in new technology and service enhancements; and meeting growing demand for higher bandwidth services. 

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