Irish-owned telecoms provider Pure Telecom has announced a €1.8m investment in 32 new jobs following an upswing in business during 2016.

The company hopes that this expansion will help it to meet its target of attracting 100,000 customers by the end of 2019.

Pure Telecom had 42,500 customers at the end of 2016 - that was a 25% increase on 2015. The firm has been providing fixed line, broadband and cloud telecoms services since 2002 to Irish businesses and consumers.

Today's announcement includes jobs in sales, employee training, customer service and technical support - the hiring process has already started for some vacancies.

This is due to bring Pure Telecom's total workforce to 112 people.

Commenting on the announcement, Paul Connell, director and co-founder, Pure Telecom, said: "Our customer numbers are growing rapidly and that’s not only down to offering very competitive prices, but also great customer service. We’re very focused on consistently delivering what our customers want and as our numbers grow, we want to make sure that customer service remains central to our business – and that means ensuring we always have the right ratio of team members to customers.

"People are essential to making Pure Telecom a success. Our customers know that when they phone us, their call will be answered quickly and professionally. Our new team members will ensure that we continue to be known as a reliable, customer-first business."