Broadband

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As the online world continues to get bigger, broadband internet has come to be regarded by many consumers as an essential service.

After years of languishing at the bottom of the EU league table, Ireland’s broadband penetration appears to have steadily improved over the last few years as more and more providers entered the market to compete against Eircom.

Depending on where you live, your local broadband service can be provided through a number of different technologies: DSL (telephone line), cable, fixed wireless, satellite, or 3G mobile.

The cost of each of these services also varies a good deal, while local availability around the country varies even more, particularly if you live outside of the city or in a rural area.

Advertised speeds generally range from 0.5 to 24 Mbps (megabits per second) (update)

Mobile broadband

3G mobile is probably the fastest-growing category within the broadband industry and now it now accounts for around a quarter of all broadband subscriptions.

The difference between mobile broadband and the other services is that it is not ‘fixed’ - you can basically use it anywhere, not just in your home.

From €10-€30 a month, it is also generally cheaper than many fixed line broadband products, as no landline charges apply.

But also key to its appeal is the large number of areas in the country that can’t get any fixed broadband service.

It is estimated that 10 per cent of the population, or approximately 33 per cent of the area of the country, still has no access to fixed broadband services.

But there still is some dispute about whether mobile broadband qualifies as a ‘proper’ broadband service because the network speeds available with the earliest mobile broadband services reported to be very poor.

Users complained that services were more often halfway between a dial-up and a basic 1Mbps (megabits per second) fixed-line broadband service.

All operators claim speeds of up to 3.6 or 7.2 mbps, depending on the service, which is certainly well in excess of many fixed-line services.

How to find your broadband service

Your first step should be to check out www.broadband.gov.ie, which is the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources website listing all providers of residential broadband services in your local area.

Another key part of your research should be a visit to www.Callcosts.ie, ComReg’s comparison website for telecommunications services. It includes comparisons of broadband as well as fixed-line telephone services, as well as those which combine the two as one package or a ‘bundle’.

You will also need to decide how fast a service you need. If you are a light user, perhaps only going online at evenings or weekends and occasionally downloading the odd file, then a 1Mbps (Mega bits per second) service is probably sufficient.

If you are a heavy user and like to play games or download lots of music or video files, you should consider looking at least a 2 or 3 Mbps service or higher.

The most widely-used technology is ADSL, which is provided through your telephone line, although cable and fixed wireless are growing in popularity, as is mobile broadband.

You can get a satellite service to any part of the country but they are usually much more expensive and more restricted than other services. As a result, satellite services represent only a tiny proportion of all broadband subscriptions.

If you don’t already have a landline in your home (for the fixed-line telephone) and you only want a broadband service, you could consider opting for a non-DSL broadband service such as cable or fixed wireless.

These services don’t require expensive landline rental, which means significant savings on your monthly bill.