Blackwater Broadband Project 2004-2007

History of Project Beginnings

In April 2004 the Interreg III  Measure 2.1 – Supporting Physical Infrastructure and the Environment, Inter-regional Economic Infrastructure (Telecommunications) was officially launched in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry.  This meeting was attended by three members of Truagh Development Association and the Blackwater Broadband project was initiated.

Project Profile

The main aim of the project at the outset was to improve Internet Communication in the border area of North Monaghan and South Tyrone where no broadband infrastructure was in place at that time or planned for in the immediate future. The Development Organisations of Truagh and Aughnacloy who had a good working relationship, first established in the early 1990’s, made a joint application to Interreg under Priority 2 Measure 1 for financial assistance in April 2004 under the Title of “Blackwater Broadband Consortium”.  In July 2004 our request for funding was granted.

Customer Survey

In early July 2004 the consortium launched a promotion campaign of leaflets and flyers which were handed out at Church services and also through the schools on both sides of the border. This was followed by an explanatory note in the parish Bulletins.  The response to this survey was very encouraging with over 150 enquiries all showing an interest in acquiring Broadband. The survey was beneficial to the consortium in that it established that there was a good demand and showed geographically where the main customer concentrations were located.

The villages of Emyvale and Aughnacloy represented about 40% of the total and the rural hamlets of Clara, Carrickroe, Davagh, Dundian, N2 and Mullen represented the remainder.  Following this Survey the consortium sought assistance in formulating a plan to deliver service to the whole area which resulted in Sigma Wireless being employed as the main consultants for the project.

 

Transmission Survey

Following a meeting with Shane Meegan, chief consultant Sigma Wireless, it was agreed to carry out a Transmission Survey of the whole region in order to establish the limitations of delivering a wireless broadband service in an area of Drumlin Hills and a dispersed customer base. This was completed by Sigma engineers in conjunction with consortium members over the month of August 2004.

Sigma presented the results of this survey in early September and it was apparent to the consortium that delivering a blanket coverage of wireless broadband across the whole area was not possible due to the topology of the land and the amount of base stations needed to provide full coverage.

The survey established Greagh Resevoir as the most suitable location for  backhaul access and further distribution throughout the area. The consortium agreed at this point to go forward to tender stage remaining technology neutral, but insisting that service would be delivered in the village areas and rural clusters where interest had been established. 

Tendering Process

Sigma Wireless prepared the tender documentation in August 2004 and after consultation with the members of the committee it was agreed to go to tender  in early September 2004. The tender was advertised publicly in the national papers as well as being published on the Government Etender website.  In early February of 2005 we signed a contract with Net1 for service delivery.

Site Acquisition

Site acquisition has been an ongoing process throughout the network build and has involved a lot of negotiations with local landowners,Truagh Group Water Scheme, Monaghan County Council, and other interested  local groups.  In the initial wireless survey, carried out by sigma, we had established Greagh Resevoir as being the  most suitable elevated site and in August 2004 we received  agreement from Truagh Group Water to use the water tower as our main base station.  When this was established we then negotiated the remaining eleven sites at Clara, Moy, Mullinderg, Drumcondra, Emyvale (2), Dernalusset, Davagh, Golan, Carrickroe and Mullin. The project is indebted to Truagh Group Water scheme and the landowners associated with the sites.

Network Build

Wireless broadband reception is based on line of sight ie  the customer has to be able to clearly see the base station in order to receive the service.

There are three main Components of the Network:

1. Backhaul

2. Base Station

3. Customer Premises Equipment  

 

Backhaul This can be called our broadband supply and it comes from Net1 main station at Mount Oriel in Collon via Kilkitt reservoir in Lough Egish to the Truagh Group Water Resevoir at Greagh.
	Base Stations These are poles or buildings on elevated sites that are in sight of  Greagh or can be relayed from other local base stations.  The power consumption at these stations is very small hence some are powered by solar and wind turbine and others by electricity.  There are currently ten base stations servicing the area at Clara, N2, Deravoy, Dernalussett, Davagh, Golan, Drumcondra, Mullan and two in the Emyvale area.
Customer Premises Equipment   The customer premises consists of a 500mm mesh antenna generally located high up on a gable wall to assist line of site to the base station.  This is now replaced by a smaller flat panel receiver.

Blackwater Broadband  2007

In the intervening period since 2004 DSL (ie broadband on your telephone line) has been delivered by BT in Aughnacloy in February 2005.  In September 2005 Eircom launched DSL broadband in Emyvale.  These events would have had an impact on the Blackwater Broadband scheme by taking up some of the customer base.  However, with our wireless broadband scheme a fixed telephone line is not essential  and this has proved attractive to some, especially the large foreign national community in this North Monaghan area.

Wireless broadband also reaches the vast area of our community which is outside the DSL coverage.  While these two technologies would, at face value, appear to be in competition with each other the reality is they co-exist to offer our area un-parralled coverage . The main beneficiaries have been the small businesses of the area who can boast to having a broadband service while most of the rural communities nationally still await delivery.  Currently there are over 70 customers connected to the Blackwater Broadband Scheme.  If you wish to find out any more details of the service click on this link (www.net1.ie).

Project Cost

• The total cost of the project was €217,000

• Interreg III Measure 2.1  contributed €163,000

• IFI contributed   €15,000

• Lotto Fund  €1,500

The balance of the contribution was raised by the contribution of the local community.

We acknowledge gratefully the assistance of the European Community in the form of Interreg and IFI without which this project would not have got off the ground.