Eircom said yesterday that it would extend the reach of its broadband internet service to 90 per cent of the population by March 2006.

The firm said it would enable telephone exchanges for digital subscriber line technology, the most common type of broadband technology used in the Republic.

Eircom said it would be able to provide the extension to its broadband network within its existing €200 million annual capital expenditure budget. But it said it would need Government help to bring broadband to the remaining 10 per cent of the public without broadband.

Eircom said it had now delivered on a previous pledge to bring broadband to every town in the Republic with a population of more than 1,500 people.

Mr David McRedmond, Eircom's commercial director, said he estimated that about 80 per cent of the lines that Eircom enables for broadband are capable of providing a service.

He said the firm was planning to increase this to about 90 per cent within six months. But some people will still not be able to get broadband due to the distance that they live from exchanges.