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THURSDAY, NOV 19 2020
BBNet connects local customers adapting to Covid restrictions COUNTY Clare broadband provider BBNet has spent 2020 responding to a surge in demand for increased connectivity, as customers adapt to new working environments due to the global pandemic. Based in Shannon, BBNet employs 12 staff locally along with a number of local sub-contractors around Munster who respond to their large customer base across Clare, Limerick, Kerry and north Cork. In an industry not celebrated for its customer relations, BBNet has managed to buck this trend by relying on unrivalled local knowledge and a dedicated team which is headquartered in Shannon. BBNet traditionally specialises in connecting rural homes with bespoke wireless solutions - in fact the company was established after its two founding directors successfully managed to connect their
respective houses in Cratloe and Sixmilebrige to each other - and while they continue to prosper in this area, their service offering has expanded greatly with continued advancements in technology in the telecoms sector. Speaking to The Clare Echo, General Manager Shane Slattery explains that the nature of the product has moved on significantly in recent years with BBNet now offering wireless speeds of up to 100Mb and fibre broadband, where available. With the advent of Covid-19, they have seen huge demand for greater connectivity. Shane, who has been with BBNet since 2007, explains, “Covid-19 has been the big challenge for everybody this year, that goes without saying. Since March, we have seen a huge surge in demand for connectivity. People who had been
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working off mobile connections at home have gone for more fixed wireless solutions, particularly the likes of the Jet service which is 50Mb or 100Mb. It allows people do that bit more; upload speed is particularly important for Zoom calls or teams meetings, and the likes of fibre or the higher speed wireless services definitely deliver that.” “The other one is on the wifi side of things; a lot of rural houses are quite large or pose a challenge with things like stone walls and mass concrete between upstairs and downstairs. A lot of people are now working from home and have an office at one end of the house but the broadband is at the other, so we’ve done quite a lot on offering solutions for Wifi to ensure somebody can work well.” BBNet has also seen a spike in their corporate customer base who avail of the Shannon company’s enterprise class products and they have a growing range there including hospitality, a large number of multinationals based in the midwest and a number of international clients across Europe, Asia and into the Caribbean. BBNet also provides managed Wifi services for hotels, public spaces, events and conferences.
In a highly competitive market, Shane details that the company’s hands-on approach and local knowledge is a unique selling point. “We’re local first of all. We are based in Shannon and our offices have been based in Shannon since I joined the company. There’s a couple of things that appeal to the customer. One is that support, other providers may have their challenges around that. We answer calls as quickly as possibly and that
works very well. “If there’s an issue we’ll often hear about it before the calls come in so that local presence is very important. The feedback we get is the customer service is good and that’s a huge part of it for us.” “People do care about the fact that they can pick up the phone and get an answer. You have to keep your customer happy and if you’re not in a position to provide the support your customer requires, then your’e at risk of losing that business.” Shane acknowledges that BBNet are “one of the lucky ones” who have been able to continue operations as an essential service and stresses the importance of shopping locally and supporting the businesses that are closed at the moment. “That’s very very important at the moment that people do support local, and support the businesses that are there to help. There are a lot of businesses with a lot of challenges at the moment so the more we can support, the more we will.” To enquire about BBNet’s services, visit bbnet.ie or call 061 512000. Left: BBNet General Manager, Shane Slattery