Broadband Options in Ireland

Whether you’re working from home, setting up a hub or travelling around Ireland for work, this blog is for all that requires an internet connection.

This blog is divided into 2 main sections, Wireless and Fixed Wired broadband. At Hotspace, we prefer Wireless Options for remote workers and even some potential future hubs, read on to see why….

1. Wireless Broadband 

There are various wireless options and many of the most common have been collated here.

4G

4G connections has to be most versatile and best value for money. Why pay for more speed than you need? Evolving on from the steady 3G connections, 4G can outperform many other connections in terms of speed and in some urban cases it can be faster than some fibre-to-cabinet connections. It’s possible to be set up with a connection in a matter of minutes or even the hotspot option from your smartphone if you’re well, pretty much anywhere. With some Irish-based providers offering unlimited broadband from €12.99 with only a 30-day contract, 4G is our preference for the average remote worker and even some smaller hubs in some examples. 4G will generally support most users’ needs, but if you live In a rural area’s and have more than 2 people at home with multiple devices, you may run into congestion issues. 4G also can suffer from congestion in the evenings when most homes are using the network.

4G mains routers and battery-powered routers make them ideal for remote workers that travel and as it enables them to work from almost anywhere.

Stay tuned, as in a later blog we will explore 4G further, including the different Irish providers based on your location, budget and the different Internet routers to meet your needs.

5G

Evolving on from 4G, 5G is the latest GSM mobile network in Ireland.  In some cases, speeds are matching and surpassing fibre.

Similar to 4G, some 5G connections can be set up in a matter of minutes. Some downfalls of 5G is that its not available everywhere and is mainly rolled out to town areas by the mobile phone providers. Fixed 5G broadband providers for rural and urban areas are typically around 150mbs download.

Fixed Wireless Broadband

There are other providers for homes and businesses that are independent from mobile mast networks. Westnet is one provider of this service but we understand is just available in the West of Ireland.  Even with their most basic package speeds of 6Mbs download and 3Mbs, it can actually outperform other faster on-paper providers that suffer from congestion as Westnet is constant and steady.

Satellite broadband

So providers say, satellite broadband can be connected to any home or business offering another broadband solution that may be the only option viable option for some rural areas. In recent years, Satellite broadband has dramatically improved. One issue is that it is sensitive to latency, meaning professional video calls or real-time gaming multiplayer is not recommended.

Free Outdoor Public WiFi (WiFi4EU initiative)

The WiFi4EU initiative promotes free access to Wi-Fi connectivity for citizens in public spaces including parks, squares, public buildings, libraries, health centres and museums in municipalities throughout Europe.

WiFi4EU went live in many Mayo Towns the end of 2021 such as: Balla, Ballinrobe, Castlebar and Belmullet.

Adjacent Participating map  can be accessed via this link:WiFi4EU Networks – Maps | Shaping Europe’s digital future (europa.eu)

2. Fixed Wired Broadband

When referring to fixed broadband here, we mean a cable installed into your office or home, generally from a roadside poll or underground cable. The majority of connections across Ireland would be availing of this type of connection and one most main steam providers try to sell first. Many remote workers, assume that if there is no fibre available , they simply wont have fast broadband. As we described above, this is not true. Although most wireless connections cannot match the speeds of fibre, there are almost always other wireless solutions for busy offices and homes.

VSDL

This broadband is sent via the older copper wire usually on telephone poles. Prior to the rollout of Fibre, disconnection was sufficient for most users and still is depending on how close you are to your nearest exchange. However, homes and businesses that are greater than 4 kilometers, simply won’t have fast enough connection to deal with streaming and Webex calls. This should typically be assessed by your provider prior to install.  In rural areas where there are limited or no wireless connections (very rare), This may be your only option and at least will serve for the likes of e-mails and non-streaming tasks.

Another benefit for some users of fixed wired broadband is Voice over IP (VoIP).  Offered by some providers, it’s a phone service that works the same as your old landline but is better value and better quality.

Finally, you can find if your premises is already connected, or included in the National Broadband Plan or when its estimated date for Fibre upgrade is, click here: Welcome to National Broadband Ireland – NBI