A new broadband network in the Midlands is to give four counties high speed internet access.
The €11.4 million project will be completed by Christmas and will give the towns of Tullamore, Portlaoise, Mullingar and Roscommon access to broadband, with Athlone to be connected early next year.
The 7,500 fibre kms of network is part of the EUR65 million 19 towns national broadband initiative.
Nationally, towns from Co Donegal to Cork, will be connected to the backbone broadband running through the country.
The project, 90 per cent grant aided by the Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, is co-funded by the EU under the European Regional Development Fund.
Known as the Metropolitan Area Networks, it is being rolled out by local authorities in the 19 towns. The Midlands project involves a range of local authorities in four counties.