Irish Communications Minister Eamon Ryan has appointed e|net to manage and operate phase II of the Metropolitan Area Networks, (MANs), Programme.

MANs are State owned, telecommunications networks located in towns and cities throughout the whole country.

The state-of-the-art optic fibre, open access networks are offered to telecommunication service providers, on a wholesale basis, to enable them to provide high-speed broadband services to their customers without them having to build their own networks.

As manager and operator e|net will offer a variety of products to service providers so they in turn can deliver high speed broadband services to their retail customers.

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These products would include wholesale duct space, dark fibre, co-location facilities and managed services, whichever the customers wants or the market demands.

Announcing the contract Minister Ryan said: "The MANs play a pivotal role in the delivery of high speed broadband to regions throughout the country at a time when the advancement of a knowledge economy has never been more important.

"The ESRI predicts that around 70% of our exports will be services by 2025. Most of those services will be branded digitally. Broadband for our towns will provide the basis for investment and jobs throughout Ireland."

Under Phase II of the MANs Programme fifty nine MANs covering sixty five towns have been constructed at a cost of approximately €98m. A further MAN is under construction, in Kinsale, which is expected to be completed in early 2010.

Phase I of the Programme involved the construction of twenty seven MANs in towns and cities throughout the country.

(PR/JM)