Northern Ireland offers broadband contract

In March 2009, the contract to supply broadband across Northern Ireland ends between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) and BT.

Therefore the Northern Ireland executive is looking for a new provider to supply a service across the entire region.

For most of the broadband users in Northern Ireland, it is unlikely that they will notice any difference providing that they receive their broadband connection through the phone line.

However in remote areas broadband is being supplied by satellite; these customers will no longer have a broadband connection once the contract expires.

This is why the conditions of the contract are that the new provider should be able to supply a broadband connection covering 100% of the region.

The satellite section of the network is going to be key in who gets the contract.