Northern Ireland
School broadband in Northern Ireland: C2k and the Education Authority
Grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland get their ICT, including connectivity, through C2k, overseen by the Education Authority. The Department of Education has asked schools using non-C2k broadband to review it. What we know, including the April 2026 cyber attack.
On this page
At a glance
- C2k provides hardware, software, connectivity and technical support to grant-aided schools, overseen by the Education Authority (EA).
- The Department of Education has asked schools with non-C2k broadband to “urgently and critically review this provision”.
- Online safety guidance is in DE Circulars 2011/22 and 2016/27.
- C2k was hit by a cyber attack in April 2026; the EA said services were largely restored by 17 April.
- We found no Northern Ireland speed standard for school broadband.
C2k
C2k is a Northern Ireland-wide ICT service for schools, overseen by the Education Authority (EA). It provides “hardware, software, connectivity and technical support” to grant-aided schools. The contract is held by Capita.
We found no Northern Ireland speed standard for school broadband comparable to England’s or Wales’s.
Broadband outside C2k
In 2014 the Department of Education (DE) wrote to schools about the Use of non-C2K broadband and networks by schools. It asked schools with a non-C2k broadband line or network to “urgently and critically review this provision”.
DE’s online safety guidance is in Circular 2011/22 (Internet Safety) and Circular 2016/27 (Online Safety). Circular 2016/27 covers both C2k and non-C2k networks.
What replaces C2k?
DE’s website says the EA is developing a replacement for C2k, the Education Technology Service, “available in all grant aided schools from 2021”.
The April 2026 cyber attack
The EA confirmed on 3 April 2026 that C2k had been the target of a cyber attack. Passwords were reset across the network, and the EA said services were “largely restored” by 17 April 2026, starting with post-primary schools because of exams.
Free protective DNS
The NCSC’s free Protective DNS for Schools is open to local authorities and public sector networks in Northern Ireland that provide DNS to their schools. See cyber security.
Sources
Checked 25 October 2026. We wrote this guide from these sources, in our own words:
- Department of Education NI: ICT in schools (education-ni.gov.uk)
- DE NI: Use of non-C2K broadband and networks (letter to schools, 2014) (education-ni.gov.uk)
- DE NI: Internet and Wi-Fi guidance (education-ni.gov.uk)
- DE NI: Education Technology Service (education-ni.gov.uk)
- Education Authority: services restored following cyber attack (eani.org.uk)
- NCSC: PDNS for Schools extended to more institutions (ncsc.gov.uk)
Broadband for Schools is an independent guide. We are not a broker, a reseller or a supplier, and we are not connected to the Department for Education, any local authority or any provider. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.