NTR Broadband NI jobs boost

Northern Ireland is set to benefit from its own Broadband service after the opening of a new NTR Broadband office in Belfast today.

NTR Broadband will launch its' fixed price, 'always-on', broadband Internet service in the province next month resulting in the creation of a further 20 new jobs by 2004.

The NTR Broadband office is located in the centre of Belfast, and will be the base for Paul O'Callaghan who has just been appointed as Regional Director, Northern Ireland. Commenting on the future of Broadband in the province, Mr O'Callaghan said: "NTR Broadband aim to make a big impact on the Northern Ireland telecommunications market in a short period of time.

"The service offering is excellent in terms of quality, reliability and cost competitiveness and will include a range products, offering broadband speeds of 512Kbs to multiple 2Mbs".

By providing 'last mile' connectivity using wireless technology, NTR Broadband hope to meet the rising demand for cheaper, more reliable, high-speed Internet broadband services, whilst bypassing the need to lay expensive cable or upgrade traditional telephone exchanges.

Although wireless Broadband typically require Line of Sight to a base station, NTR Broadband has already concluded successful trials of a mobile residential product that will not have the traditional line of sight requirement.

Through Invest NI and Western Connect in Londonderry, NTR Broadband will initially launch in Londonderry when 40 customers will be connected to the service in September. The service will then quickly roll out to other parts of Northern Ireland including Belfast, Ballymena, Strabane and Lisburn.

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