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There is wonderful news for communities across Northern Ireland as Openreach, the national broadband operator, has officially confirmed a permanent leadership appointment. Lauren McGaughey, who has been serving as the Acting Director for the region, has now been formally appointed to the role on a full-time basis. This positive development ensures continued strong leadership as the region enjoys some of the best digital connectivity in the country.
Lauren brings a wealth of experience to the position, having first joined Openreach in 2013. Over the past year, she has been diligently leading the Northern Ireland business and overseeing the impressive regional roll-out of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband technology. Thanks to these efforts, FTTP is now available to an estimated 92% of premises in Northern Ireland, which equates to approximately 850,000 homes and businesses. This marks a fantastic increase from the 90% coverage recorded in May 2025, showing real progress in connecting more people to high-speed internet.
Lauren replaces Garret Kavanagh, who has recently moved on to become the Managing Director for Complex Engineering, a testament to the strong career progression within the organisation. Speaking about the appointment, Lauren expressed her excitement to build on the existing momentum. She highlighted that Openreach's investment has already secured Northern Ireland's place as the most digitally connected region in the UK. She is eager to connect even more homes and businesses to faster, reliable broadband, creating a unique competitive advantage for local businesses to scale and attract investment.
This leadership change comes at a time of significant national investment, with Openreach committed to investing £15 billion to build FTTP across 25 million UK premises by December 2026. The goal is to potentially reach up to 30 million premises by 2030, ensuring that everyone has access to the digital infrastructure they need to thrive. With Lauren at the helm, the region is well-positioned to continue this successful journey of digital inclusion and economic growth.
If you are looking for advice on broadband providers, need help comparing speeds, or simply want to discuss your connectivity options, our friendly team is here to help. We can guide you through the latest offers and ensure you get the best service for your home or business. Please call us today on 0800 123 4567 for free, impartial advice. The call costs 7p per minute plus your phone company's access charge.
Published: 2026-03-10
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