Arranmore is an idyllic Irish island located about 5 kilometers off the mainland. Sparsely populated due to centuries of emigration, the island was recently excluded from the government’s broadband scheme.
No connectivity meant no business. No business meant no employment. No employment meant emigration. It was predicted that by 2040, Arranmore would have zero inhabitants left. If life on Arranmore disappeared, so would its unique culture and the Gaeltacht language.
So Three Mobile, the second largest telco in Ireland, did what the government wouldn’t do: it gave Arranmore the power of 5G.
After setting up the fastest possible connection on the island, it taught locals how to make the best use of the technology and transformed the island.
It created the ease of doing business, the fishing industry was revolutionised, children had access to better education, healthcare became better, and tourism increased as well.
Then, the island’s community wrote open letters to the people of the US and Australia offering their services on the work front, and also invited remote workers to swap the hustle and bustle of city life for the calm and beauty of Arranmore.
The result:
- More than 3,500 inquiries were made regarding moving to the island.
- Tourism went up by 84%, giving the local economy a much-needed boost.
- 150 years of emigration was reversed and an island was preserved.
