National Rural Broadband Scheme ends 25th August 2014

Oldtree

This may be of interest to some people here (like me) if you use the internet a bit. Three.ie are reducing their usage allowance for this scheme from 40GB to 15GB and then charging €50 per 1GB over that reduced allowance of 15GB from 24th August. I posted more details here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057263822

greglouth

Unfortunately it's true.I got letter from Three that NBS is expiring this month (25th).
I was paying over 20 euro for 40 GB limited broadband.Now it's gone to Active automatically for 22 euro with 15 GB limit,so definitely i'm out.

New ideas:

1.Pro cost 35 euro for 60 GB limit in Three.
2.Vodafone 35 euro for unlimited broadband (seems ok)
3.Find well paid job and take fast,reliable and expensive broadband

I'll go to opt 2 as opt 3 rather not impossible

If you have more ideas bring it on

Farrell

Have the €20/Month package, tried updating Windows 8.1 on the laptop last-night, might be finished by Christmas at this rate!:mad:
Going to have to change, is the Pro any good?
Most evenings we're at a snails pace when I'm on Boards on phone/tab, OH on Donedeal on laptop/tab & facebook on phone.
Is line broadband an option in the sticks?

Oldtree

we have the copper telephone wires and am more than a mile from the exchange so no landline option here.

The 3 pro is the same service just an increased allowance to 60gb.

I rang 3 up and found out the direction of my nearest pole. I bought an "active" 5m usb cable. This allows me to place the dongle outside the top of the window (in a ziplock plastic bag) in the direction of the pole. This improved my connection consistency and speed somewhat, an improvement on the router, (which must then be switched off).

The Vodafone signal on my phone at home for data is G, and that does not allow anything more than waiting for 5 minutes to look at the weather charts. I get H+ signals in towns which is fine for internet access. Can't see their bband being any better where I live.

Farmer Pudsey

Mobile Broadband provide by mobile phone provides will disimprove in Rural area's. Alread I see that as we move to 4G coverage is disimproving. Unless you are lucky to live near a mast the signal is too weak to get decent speeds.

Broadband provided over a wireless network is limited and costs are increasing. This is operators trying to generate a viable return. The government have never managed to put a viable plan in place.

Broadband over copper wire is best solution if you have it. I am nearly 2 miles from exchange in a small village. Have a just viable service. However at present I think there is a court battle between the regulator and Eircom to remove the USO and allow different pricing structure for urban and rural customers. The reality is that telecoms inflation which has been fairy static over the last 10-15 years is about to take off like energy costs did 10 years ago.

Kovu

I'm in the process of switching. Got myself a new phone off the tinternet last night which is unlocked so will get a sim for that and cancel my billpay.

So means I will be also on the lookout for broadband, parents don't know if they want to get rid of homephone so looking at all options.

http://www.ardenbroadband.ie/index.html seems to be ok, will phone them later. I don't think I need unlimited broadband just yet but looking at all options.

Considering that our homephone is usually €40 pm, along with my €20 or so for internet, (occasionally have gone over limit, holy fcuk those charges!) I think it's time we changed!

Oldtree

Have to really watch the allowance as the charges over allowance for 1gb can be upwards of €50, extortionate imo, and the small print may only say 5c per 1mb, sounds small dosn't it! i can see loads of people in rural ireland getting caught with this new reduction in allowance.

just do it

What were download speeds like on that scheme?

Oldtree

Not at home at the moment but this is what I am getting now.

The 4.13 is the highest dl I have ever got, normally about 2.5 - 2.9

Speed test from here;

http://www.speedtest.net/

just do it

Oldtree wrote: »

Not at home at the moment but this is what I am getting now.

The 4.13 is the highest dl I have ever got, normally about 2.5 - 2.9

Speed test from here;

http://www.speedtest.net/

That's fast. Unfortunately my area could get bb so didn't qualify for that scheme. My download speed is less than 1. An area that did qualify a few miles away has up until now had much cheaper bb and better speeds!

Kovu

4.13? Jaysus.....I appear to be doing ok so....

just do it

If only I could live in a 4G area :rolleyes:

Kovu

You off to Amsterdam JDI :P

just do it

.Kovu. wrote: »

You off to Amsterdam JDI :P

LOL, I wish!

Oldtree

just do it wrote: »

That's fast. Unfortunately my area could get bb so didn't qualify for that scheme. My download speed is less than 1. An area that did qualify a few miles away has up until now had much cheaper bb and better speeds!

"that's fast" is what the man from 3 told me too, but its not really for the modern internet. it also depends on how many people are sharing the mast at any one time, speeds get slower in the evening. Say for example I am listening to an internet radio being broadcast at 190, I can suffer from intermittent buffering, so its not that fast. But it is super fast compared to the landline I had before where it took me 15 minutes to log in to email.

valtraman

Lucky to get 0.7 meg here with eircom was 1.2meg which believe it or not was tolerable ,engineer says line etc ok just a distance from exchange problem , seems exchange has moved !!!!!!!!!! I certainly havn't . Lucky to be able to see Boards at all ,next move is drive to town and find free wifi if anything large needs to be downloaded like we used to do ten or more years ago . 21st century is coming soon to your area

just do it

Oldtree wrote: »

"that's fast" is what the man from 3 told me too, but its not really for the modern internet. it also depends on how many people are sharing the mast at any one time, speeds get slower in the evening. Say for example I am listening to an internet radio being broadcast at 190, I can suffer from intermittent buffering, so its not that fast. But it is super fast compared to the landline I had before where it took me 15 minutes to log in to email.

You've hit the nail on the head. With urban areas where the majority of fees are generated moving to super fast bb us rural folk will struggle with larger downloads. Even my 5yo laptop can't play videos from my new galaxy s5 as the resolution is too high for the "old" processor :rolleyes: