95% broadband in Donegal

emmemm

it must be six months since this was promised.
are they 47.5% done yet?

muffler

Good question. I think their target date for completion was around October or November 07 so it may be a wee while before we see any actual results.

I must enquire into this myself.

jimmycrackcorm

They are waiting until everyone moves into the bigger towns.

muffler

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

They are waiting until everyone moves into the bigger towns.

Yeah thats a helpful comment alright.

Anyway here is the official info which was given at the time of the launch

Glazun

I don't know.. then again they told us we were too far to get broadband... however our neighbours had it.. some convincing was needed and they set up broadband for us.. it works, just wish Eircom didn't have download limits. I guess this really doesn't solve your problem, but I live in a pretty rural area so the fact I can get broadband now proves they're getting somewhere with the roll out. Just, with the way the internet is progressing, giving customers a 2mb connection and 10gig download limit is a bit silly imo.

byte

Eircom give a 20GB download limit with their 2mbit DSL offering. And they're not charging for going over the cap (at least for many users who discuss it on Broadband forum, and indeed myself when I had it).

As for 95% Broadband, I would assume this to mean population, and not area.

georgie59

also live in rural area and have broadband but no people live not more than 3 miles from me on my way into donegal (they are closer to big town than me) and they can't get it and have been told that not for the fosiable(sp) future.
Think I agree that they mean population as oppose to area.

jimmycrackcorm

muffler wrote:

Yeah thats a helpful comment alright.

Anyway here is the official info which was given at the time of the launch

Actually it's sarcastic. However it is probably true given that even any areas in the country currently covered by wireless operators have lots of problem areas.

Look even at the O2 broadband coverage or the Vodafone coverage for an indication of how much broadband you can get when you have the profits, sites and technology. O2's HSDPA network is planned to go up to 14mbps within 2 years but have a guess how much of Donegal will be coverd by that...

It's interesting to think how the early state embarked on a massive scheme such as the programme of rural electrification but cannot see the benefits of widespread broadband now. Ok, so electricity is much more essential, but a more recent comparison is the vast improvements in telephone availablity and qaulity that arose in the 80's.

To be really effective any rural broadband scheme will require some element of community based mesh networks.

donegalman1

Question is who promised it?

Will all the best intentions of border initiatives and a very good progressive Co Council, if its left to Eircom well..........

emmemm

r u them?

emmemm

seems strange for an internet firm not to answer email.

muffler

emmemm wrote:

r u them?

That user wont be answering for a wee while due to red carditis

K-9

On a positive note was chatting to a Broadband sales person lately, I know!, but Lifford has improved and they hope to have Convoy by the end of the year.

Seriously thought, anybody guess why Tamney in Fanad and Inver got it a few years back?

emmemm

and Termon.
sickening isn't it?
how they were returned the devil only knows.

muffler

emmemm wrote:

and Termon.

Eh???

What politician lives there?

emmemm

homeplace of the flying doctor.

muffler

emmemm wrote:

homeplace of the flying doctor.

Ah I see. Wasnt aware of the location of the rock

deman

Was talking to NWE last week and they told me that the mast covering the Castlefin area will be ready by the end of August. They told my sister the same thing when she phoned them about coverage in the Raphoe area.

muffler

deman wrote:

Was talking to NWE last week and they told me that the mast covering the Castlefin area will be ready by the end of August. They told my sister the same thing when she phoned them about coverage in the Raphoe area.

Interesting developments. Well they have promised to have 95% of the county covered by November (I think). It looks as if they may be on target.

The next obvious question is going to be - How Much?

jimmycrackcorm

muffler wrote:

Interesting developments. Well they have promised to have 95% of the county covered by November (I think). It looks as if they may be on target.

The next obvious question is going to be - How Much?

Isn't it amazing how meteor coverage in Letterkenny can't manage much up past Glencar, but these magic masts will cover 95% of the county.

muffler

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

Isn't it amazing how meteor coverage in Letterkenny can't manage much up past Glencar, but these magic masts will cover 95% of the county.

Much like o2's claim that they have 95% of the country on full coverage. The other 5% must be in the Finn Valley regions.

The difference I see here is that the mobile phone operators are private and will promise everything the same as a politician and then fall far short of the mark. They are in business and out to get as much income for as little expenditure as possible. Sure it would only cost them more money if they had to upgrade existing antennae or erect a new lot.

The broadband coverage is a community orientated venture backed financially by the government with EC grants and driven by the council at local level. The funding has been committed so this stage of the project does not entail expenditure by any provider. As i said I would be more concerned about the cost when its up and running rather than the available coverage.

deman

muffler wrote:

The next obvious question is going to be - How Much?

As far as I remember it was €99 installation + €99 for the modem and then €24.99/month for the basic 1M/256K package.

...which isn't bad considering I'm paying €22/month for the same package in hi-tech Finland, although there were no installation or modem charges.