Tech shorts

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Dublin-Galway fibre-optic network

Aurora Telecom, the telecoms division of Bord Gáis Networks, is to build a high-speed fibre-optic network from Dublin to Galway. The company will lay more than 330km of fibre-optic cable in ducting along the route of a Bord Gáis gas pipeline that runs to the west of the country. It is understood the link will cost €10 million to establish.

The project should provide a boost for inward investment as it will create an open-access network that can be used by other telecoms companies and corporate customers.

The route will service Galway, Athlone, Mullingar and Ennis, with other towns to be connected as demand requires. Dedicated fibre links for individual companies – known as “dark fibre” – allows them, in effect, to control their telecoms networks and reduce operating costs.

CarTrawler scoops award in London

Irish technology company CarTrawler, which enables travel companies to provide car rental facilities online, has won the Best Ancillary Revenue Innovation at the fourth annual Budgies, the awards ceremony for low-cost airlines.

The award was presented at a ceremony in London this week as part of the World Low Cost Airlines Congress.

CarTrawler was founded by Greg and Niall Turley in 2004. It employs about 90 staff in Dublin and operates globally.

YouTube founder to speak at Dublin event

YouTube founder and chief executive Chad Hurley has been confirmed as a speaker at the Dublin Web Summit, which has been expanded to a two-day format, on October 28th-29th.

Other speakers confirmed include Jack Dorsey, founder and chairman of Twitter, and Niklas Zennstrom, founder and former chief executive of Skype. The conference for business people will also offer master classes on topics such as online marketing and advertising.