100MB Broadband Launched

100MB Broadband Launched

Over the past four weeks the infrastructure was put in place by the Department of Education’s contractors to supply Hazelwood College with 100MB Broadband Access. This project is the result of cooperation between the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Department of Education and Science, the Higher Education Authority, HEAnet and the Professional Development Services for Teachers

Hazelwood College has now switched over to a new superfast uncontended connection. This completed what has been a considerable technical challenge due to our rural location involving co-ordination between Viatel, Agile Networks, RTE, the University of Limerick and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.

To supply Hazelwood College with this level of broadband has involved utilising the RTE Mast on Knockfierna to make a direct connection to the University of Limerick where we join the National HEAnet Fibre Network.

This upgrade lays the foundations for the challenges of 21st century teaching and learning. With upgrading to 100MB broadband and by having over 150 computers in the college supported by a state-of-the-art fibre based network and WiFi system, teachers and students will be in a position to utilize this technological infrastructure to implement our eLearning, cloud computing and ICT programmes to their maximum potential.

Over the past number of years local provider BBnet Broadband had been supplying us with broadband services which were considerably better than those previously available to us through the older Schools Broadband Network, Hazelwood College would like to thank them for all their help and support over the years.