Internet Options in Ireland
Access to the internet is paramount in our day and age, and as the cogs of the technological revolution continue to whir, more work is going remote, more contact is digital, and more import is placed on a high-speed internet connection.
There was a time a few years back, when it seemed Ireland wouldn’t be able to keep up with the evolution of internet speeds, and we would slip back in time, to watching The Savage Eye and Father Ted reruns on TV, sitting by the fire with buttered toast and cups of tea. However, recent studies have shown that our little island is among the best connected countries in Europe, with 89% of households having access to the internet in 2018. So, with connecting to the internet easier than ever before, here’s how you can get online.
Broadband
Broadband refers to high speed internet access. It’s available in the vast majority of areas in Ireland, and it’s exactly what’s required for current market needs as it can accommodate movie streaming, video calls, and large file downloads. Depending on a number of factors, foremost the location of where you’re trying to set up your internet connection, broadband can be accessed through digital subscriber line (DSL), cable, mobile, or satellite technologies. To find out which of these options is available to you, you’ll need to get in touch with an internet provider. Before we get to them though, let’s look at what these options mean. To get connected, you can either opt for fixed or mobile broadband.
- Fixed line broadband is the more common option for installing wifi in a house. This is delivered via phone line or a provider’s network of cables. The broadband connects to a physical router which you place in your home and to which you connect your devices and gadgets via Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable.
- Mobile broadband is useful for areas which are not serviced by provider’s network cables or where connection can be difficult. This method is delivered by a portable device which lets you get connected wherever you are. With this, you connect to a mobile network through a dongle or portable Wi-Fi hotspot device which connects your phone, laptop, or tablet to the internet. One great aspect of mobile broadband is ‘all you can eat’ data plans. This means you can set up a home network, connecting multiple devices to the internet, all through your smartphone.
Providers
The most important thing to remember when it comes to researching internet providers is not to jump at the first option you see. What you need to do is ‘shop around’, a phrase you probably remember from secondary school business class. If you didn’t take business, this basically means that as a consumer you need to compare and contrast the packages offered by multiple companies in order to find the best deal, and the one that suits your specific needs. Great resources for this are the Commission for Communications Regulation website or bonkers.ie. Here you can compare the charges and packages offered by internet service providers.
The eight main providers of broadband services in Ireland are:
Just click on any of these links to head over to their websites where you can start researching what would be best for you. Remember to use the services provided through the ComReg website to compare offers. When you’re ready to go, get in touch with your chosen provider in store, by phone, or online. From there, their team will take you through everything you need to know, from setting up your router, to payment options, so you can stop using Dublin bus Wi-Fi to catch up on your favourite series.
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Nicholas Lane
Student of English and French.
Born in Essex, bred in Donegal, buttered in Dublin.
Writer with Babylon Radio and UCD Tribune.
Radio presenter with UCD Belfield FM.