Shared benefits up in lights

ONE MORE THING:IRISH TELECOMS infrastructure group Shared Access is enjoying success in finding sites to erect mobile phone masts.

Backed by Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, it inked a novel deal last year with the Football Association of Ireland to erect floodlighting at football grounds around the State in return for the right to put mobile phone masts on the floodlight poles, from which it can generate income.

The clubs would get free lighting along with a slice of the annual revenues.

Shared Access has since signed deals with Tennis Ireland; the Connacht, Leinster and Munster branches of the Irish Rugby Football Union; Bank of Ireland; fuel group Topaz; and retailer Gala. “Last week was a big one for us because the GAA sent a letter to all of its clubs about our proposals,” Shared Access boss Chris Jackman told me.

That’s 1,642 clubs, including 380 in Northern Ireland.

“We’ve now got just under 5,000 potential locations for development,” Jackman said, while acknowledging it would only construct about 350.

It has also signed “master site agreements” with Vodafone, O2, Meteor, 3 and Imagine and has invested €1 million to date.

“We’ve got a pipeline to take that up to €4 million,” he said.

Jackman has agreed deals with the Irish Football Association in Belfast and the Welsh FA. Talks are in train with the Scots and the Football Association in London. Netting the English FA would be quite a result. “We are hopeful that will turn into something.”