Press release: As part of the RUNE project, the first subscribers in Slovenia and Croatia are connected to the optical network!

Sežana, Gaberje, Ičići – Right before the new year, companies RUNE Enia d.o.o. and RUNE Crow d.o.o., connected the first subscribers to the ultrafast broadband optical network in Slovenia and Croatia.

The Project that ensures optical infrastructure in the rural areas of Slovenia and parts of Croatia, implemented as part of project RUNE, officially started last summer. Right before the end of 2019, companies RUNE Enia d.o.o. based in Sežana (Slovenia), and RUNE Crow based in Ičići (Croatia), connected the very first subscribers to the network.

In Slovenia, Mrs. Danica from Gaberje, a village in the municipality of Ajdovščina (Slovenia), was the first to be connected. She told us that the internet connection was bad so far, and in bad weather, it often broke down completely. She is confident that everything will work much better now that she has the new connection. »Until now, we had copper-wire internet, but because we were promised a faster and better connection without the risk of lightning strike, almost all Gaber residents decided to subscribe to this new network. I look forward to everything being fast now, this is what matters to me most, and that TV will work as it should. I don’t watch sequels; I like to watch sports that I will now be able to watch undisturbed. «

In Croatia, Mr. Antonijo from Ičići (Croatia) was also very happy to get  connected. He said: »I am glad that I will now be able to enjoy HD programs and watch all of the content without stops, and that everyone in the household will have the same quality of web browsing. What was also important to me was that the installer team was able to use the existing house installation to install the system. Everything was done very quickly, and the service started working as soon as it was connected. «

Both CEOs, Goran Živec of RUNE Enia d.o.o. and Saša Ukić of RUNE Crow d.o.o., stated: »We thank the team for their dedication and energy, because they put a lot of effort into connecting the first subscribers by the end of last year. We had a fantastic year, but the one ahead us will be even more exciting.«

Mr. Henri Piganeau, Managing Partner at Cube Infrastructure Managers, the Manager of the Connecting Europe Broadband Fund (CEBF) which invested into the RUNE project, stated: »We are extremely excited and proud about these first connected subscribers in Croatia and Slovenia and appreciate the massive effort undertaken by Goran and Saša and their respective teams. We look forward to CEBF playing a key role in enabling RUNE’s further expansion.«

In the future many other residents of rural areas will get connected to the ultra-fast broadband optical network as in January construction in Slovenia and as well as in parts of Croatia continues.  A network set-up within RUNE project (Rural Network Project) will provide speeds up to 10 gigabit (Gb) per second. The end users will, however, be free to choose the service provider, which is the most favorable to them in terms of price and quality of service.

Prior to implementation, a series of meetings will be held at municipal and local community level to inform the public. The dates and places of the meetings will be published on the website www.ruralnetwork.eu, where more information on the project can be obtained. There you can check whether the network will be built at specific addresses as well as order the connection.

Media contact:
Tina Ambrožič
e-mail: [email protected]