The service was launched on Friday June 6, 2003 and is available within approximately a 60 meter radius of the installation at the local library. An external antenna is, however, to be added increasing the range. Further expansion plans are in the works to bring access to other remote parts of Southwest Ireland. A thriving economy, the extreme remoteness of the area and its physical size make it ideal for Satellite Broadband.
In all fourteen (14) units will be constructed with perhaps more as new partners join the project. The system is using wireless equipment from the companies iDirect Unit and 3COM. A key technical feature of the initiative was the development of two satellite based wireless LAN's (wLAN) in separate towns at a low enough cost to make the venture feasible. Europe*Star are helping to resolve insufficient bandwidth levels and Hughes are working with the local schools, while Satlynx will be working to resolve the bandwidth requirements of a range of SME and Local Authority users. SWB is currently seeking other companies from around the world to help them with more specific technical issues.
For reasons of affordability and reliability, most receivers will initially use the standard 512kbps connectivity rate, though some areas will possibly receive higher bandwidths, some with perhaps as much as 2mpbs down and 1mpbs up. This will almost certainly meet expected growth in traffic and provide each local area with an element of independence.
Future plans include a Virtual Land area Network (vLAN) which will be added in another trial location. When combined with a web-cache it will be possible to separate it out into two networks. One network will be for private use by the county council and the other for public use in library's and schools, as well as businesses invloved in tourism, real estate, industry etc. A small number of home-users will also be trialled. Applications are foreseen to exist in the areas of e-learning, e-government and e-medicine.
SWB is a partnership of organisations which are interested in bringing broadband to their town or community. Managed under the South West Regional Authority, the project is currently on schedule and field trials will now run from June of this year to February 2004.
