The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources set aside €80 million for the construction of 27 Phase 1 MANs in 2003. The success of the Phase 1 MANs led to a second phase - with funding of €80 million earmarked for this Phase 2 MANs. These were to be built in over 90 towns with a population in excess of 1,500 and with no existing DSL broadband. The Phase 2 MANs were constructed during 2007 and commercially available in 2008 through the interim Management Services Entity, Magnum Opus Limited MagnumOpusContact. In the Shannon Region the towns/city that qualified for funding in Phase 1 and 2 were:-
Phase 1:
Limerick City
Phase 1 MANs is managed, maintained and operated by e|net, the Management Services Entity (MSE) appointed by Government
Phase 2:
Nenagh, Roscrea, Templemore, Birr, Banagher, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale, and Kilrush.
For further information on getting access to the MANs Phase 2, contact interim MSE 2 Magnum Opus Ltd; Tel: 01 6114062, or email: maintenance@magnumopus.ie
The Managed Services Entity
The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has developed a consistent national framework for the operation of the MANs being built across the country. All operation, maintenance and marketing of the completed networks is to be handled by a Managed Services Entity (MSE). Following a comprehensive tendering process by the Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources, e|net was selected as the Managed Service Entity (MSE) for the State's regional broadband infrastructure. e|net holds this concession to manage, maintain and operate Metropolitan Area Networks on behalf of the Irish Government for a period of 15 years. To find out more about e|net click here