Rural connection options

dufferlover · 11-01-2016 8:49pm #1

Right, so I'm thinking of buying my mother's house from her but considering I work from home two days a week I need fairly decent broadband. The thing is though even getting phone signal out there is a disaster. Meteor has patchy 3G coverage at best. I'm currently living in a town and obviously have no issues with broadband so I'm a bit ignorant about the whole rural situation. Is Vodafone broadband available everywhere? What's the story with satellite broadband. There's currently no landline in the house but it is set up for one. The whole move and sale will depend on getting a good connection in to the house. Thanks for your help folks.

mass_debater · 11-01-2016 8:53pm

http://irelandoffline.org/map/#/home

ItHurtsWhenIP · 11-01-2016 9:24pm

Don't consider Satellite, it's just ain't worth it.

How rural is the house? Is it in a village or close to a village (less than 1.5km)?

If so, then use this map and zoom in to see if the local exchange or cab is upgraded or being upgraded for eir fibre.

mass_debater wrote: »

http://irelandoffline.org/map/#/home

If using the phone line isn't an option then use this ^^^ link to check for Wireless ISPs that serve the area.

As for Vodafone coverage - check their website to see what coverage you might expect - but I would exhaust all the previous options first before considering mobile midband.

NIMAN · 11-01-2016 9:26pm

Have you a landline?

If so, you should be able to get around 3-4meg via that.

Edit: sorry, just re-read your post.
You might be able to get a broadband only package via your landline, not sure if you will be charged to reactivate it or not. I have a broadband only package with VF.

ED E · 11-01-2016 11:10pm

NIMAN wrote: »

If so, you should be able to get around 3-4meg via that.

Huh?

Nowhere has he said where the house is, could be 8km from the closest exchange.

dufferlover · 11-01-2016 11:13pm

Thanks folks. Will have a proper look at that link/map in the morn when I'm on the laptop. The house is about 8km from Navan town. I know the local school, which is a mile from the house, relies on satellite. You can also get mobile coverage over there but as I said not in her place. It's such a ridiculous situation in this day and age and not something I ever thought about until this move was mooted.

NIMAN · 11-01-2016 11:15pm

ED E wrote: »

Huh?

Nowhere has he said where the house is, could be 8km from the closest exchange.

I thought that all landlines will get you around that at the minimum?
Do they not?

I get 4.5meg and am very rural.

ednwireland · 11-01-2016 11:22pm

NIMAN wrote: »

I thought that all landlines will get you around that at the minimum?
Do they not?

I get 4.5meg and am very rural.

not that rural 2miles from town only get 2mb

ED E · 12-01-2016 6:59am

NIMAN wrote: »

I thought that all landlines will get you around that at the minimum?
Do they not?

I get 4.5meg and am very rural.

Not at all.

Past 5.5 - 6.5 km theres nothing. At 5km you'll get about 1Mb or so typically.

Phone lines will run up to 9km from the exchange to provide phone services.

twignme · 12-01-2016 7:29am

I had no choice but to go satellite broadband where I live and have been with digiweb for about 4 years now. They have improved the service over that time but it still has some inherent issues that you would expect. On average I get about 8Mb download speeds and 3Mb upload but it does fluctuate especially in bad weather and can go through times when it won't keep my spotify streaming. I have never really tried to stream a film so can't comment on that and to download one can take a little while. The biggest downside is the expense, it costs me €60 for 20Gb which really makes me mad when I see what others pay on fibre etc.

ItHurtsWhenIP · 12-01-2016 9:41am

NIMAN wrote: »

I thought that all landlines will get you around that at the minimum?
Do they not?

I get 4.5meg and am very rural.

As my exchange has no DSL of any description, the best you can get on a phone line around here is 56Kbps - :eek:!!!

ED E · 12-01-2016 9:45am

twignme wrote: »

I had no choice but to go satellite broadband where I live and have been with digiweb for about 4 years now. They have improved the service over that time but it still has some inherent issues that you would expect. On average I get about 8Mb download speeds and 3Mb upload but it does fluctuate especially in bad weather and can go through times when it won't keep my spotify streaming. I have never really tried to stream a film so can't comment on that and to download one can take a little while. The biggest downside is the expense, it costs me €60 for 20Gb which really makes me mad when I see what others pay on fibre etc.

That sound like FWA not satellite. You have a dish but it doesnt point into the sky does it?

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 9:54am

I'm after having a look at that map. Now I'm not technically minded but the info I'm getting is: Under the VDSL tab 'not in exchange program' and it's telling me that it's ADSL enabled with a max speed of 8mb. I'm not fully sure what it all means but it doesn't sound good!

The Cush · 12-01-2016 10:10am

dufferlover wrote: »

I'm after having a look at that map. Now I'm not technically minded but the info I'm getting is: Under the VDSL tab 'not in exchange program' and it's telling me that it's ADSL enabled with a max speed of 8mb. I'm not fully sure what it all means but it doesn't sound good!

How far is the house from the exchange i.e. the route the phone line takes?

What does the fibre-rollout map say about your exchange?

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 11:04am

The Cush wrote: »

How far is the house from the exchange i.e. the route the phone line takes?

What does the fibre-rollout map say about your exchange?

So Eir are saying Fibre Services aren't planned at the address. It's planned around 2.5 miles further back towards Navan but it stops there.

I'm approx 6.5km away from the nearest exchange.

ED E · 12-01-2016 11:10am

dufferlover wrote: »

So Eir are saying Fibre Services aren't planned at the address. It's planned around 2.5 miles further back towards Navan but it stops there.

I'm approx 6.5km away from the nearest exchange.

You can discount any kind of fixed line services so.

Option 1: Fixed wireless as per map
Option 2: Mobile (4G)

Neither of these are good options really, IMO dont go ahead with it.

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 11:23am

ED E wrote: »

You can discount any kind of fixed line services so.

Option 1: Fixed wireless as per map
Option 2: Mobile (4G)

Neither of these are good options really, IMO dont go ahead with it.

I only have option 1 I'm afraid so because you have to drive almost a mile back towards town to even get proper 3G signal. Meteor are the only carrier that have any 3G signal at the house and even at that you have to hang out a window to get it.
Quite upset about it all. It was our chance to redevelop my mothers house, make it in to a forever family home and get out of our pokey three bed semi with the kids. Oh well.

twignme · 12-01-2016 12:20pm

ED E wrote: »

That sound like FWA not satellite. You have a dish but it doesnt point into the sky does it?

Errrr .... yes, it's satellite :rolleyes:

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 1:02pm

What's the story with the National Broadband Plan. Using the house's Eircode it tells me that 'High Speed Broadband enabled by the State; 100% premises within the NBP Area; 0% premises covered by Operators by 2016'.

If I look at FAQs it says:

"When can I expect to receive a service through the NBP?

We expect the physical build of this network to begin in late 2016 and is expected to take between 3 to 5 years to complete. The network will be rolled out incrementally to communities from 2016. The company or companies selected to complete the rollout will include rollout times in their bids. The Intervention Strategy proposes that 60% of the premises in the Intervention Area are covered by December 2018 (85% of the country) and 100% by December 2020."

How likely is this to happen or is it just Government bulls*it?

ED E · 12-01-2016 2:09pm

Odds that they finish the NBP by late 2021? Good
Odds that NBP intervention hits every single home in marked zones? Zero

NBP is yet to break ground in any sense, it will happen but you cant rely on it being timely or that itll include you.

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 2:16pm

ED E wrote: »

Odds that they finish the NBP by late 2021? Good
Odds that NBP intervention hits every single home in marked zones? Zero

NBP is yet to break ground in any sense, it will happen but you cant rely on it being timely or that itll include you.

Yea I wouldn't be holding breath either. I've just been talking to a rep from Eir and he said it's a complete and utter black spot and they have zero plans for the area in the pipeline. He suggested looking in to the likes of Ripplecom but looking around at reviews it sounds cat.
I work in Desktop Publishing with a content management system. I basically design newspaper pages. My two extremely busy days I'm in the office and the other two I work from home. I know my boss lives in a bad area for broadband too and he works the system off a 3G dongle with no huge issues and sometimes tethers his phone to connect. I just don't know how well I'd cope with a dire connection in general. First world problems I know but when you're used to Virgin's 100mg fibre in your house, use and Andriod box instead of TV it would be a very hard change to make.

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 4:11pm

Now I'm back with more questions. Just spoke with Vodafone and they checked the address and they came back telling me I'd need to install a new phone line, which they would do free of charge and only then would they be able to tell me what's available, whether it's copper or fibre. I told them straight up the latter wasn't available. He did say if it's copper I could get up to 24mb but there's no way of telling before putting in the line. That's bloody well no help considering the sale of the house depends on whether or not I can get it in!

mass_debater · 12-01-2016 4:13pm

dufferlover wrote: »

Now I'm back with more questions. Just spoke with Vodafone and they checked the address and they came back telling me I'd need to install a new phone line, which they would do free of charge and only then would they be able to tell me what's available, whether it's copper or fibre. I told them straight up the latter wasn't available. He did say if it's copper I could get up to 24mb but there's no way of telling before putting in the line. That's bloody well no help considering the sale of the house depends on whether or not I can get it in!

We could've told you that. They cannot test a line that does not exist

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 4:16pm

mass_debater wrote: »

We could've told you that. They cannot test a line that does not exist

If I gave them the next door neighbours line would they be able to look at that?

mass_debater · 12-01-2016 4:19pm

dufferlover wrote: »

If I gave them the next door neighbours line would they be able to look at that?

Maybe, but it's doubtful they'll discuss a line that's not yours. Even if it was yours they'd not give you much info on it.

dufferlover · 12-01-2016 4:23pm

mass_debater wrote: »

Maybe, but it's doubtful they'll discuss a line that's not yours. Even if it was yours they'd not give you much info on it.

Cheers, so that's no use to me either. Running out of options it seems.

dam099 · 12-01-2016 5:22pm

If you put your next door neighbours no into the Eir line checker tool it should give an indication of the speed they would be expected to get.

Up to 24Mb can mean anywhere from 1-24Mb, given the distance you indicated the house in question is from the exchange its going to be at the lower end of that if you get anything at all.

ItHurtsWhenIP · 12-01-2016 5:37pm

dufferlover wrote: »

If I gave them the next door neighbours line would they be able to look at that?

Put your neighbours number into this page and see what it tells you they can get.

ED E · 12-01-2016 5:44pm

dufferlover wrote: »

Now I'm back with more questions. Just spoke with Vodafone and they checked the address and they came back telling me I'd need to install a new phone line, which they would do free of charge and only then would they be able to tell me what's available, whether it's copper or fibre. I told them straight up the latter wasn't available. He did say if it's copper I could get up to 24mb but there's no way of telling before putting in the line. That's bloody well no help considering the sale of the house depends on whether or not I can get it in!

He's just giving you the "PR" response. If you were living at the outskirts of a Town then it makes sense as chances are youll get it, but without a line to test they cant give a real estimate. In your case though, a simple question of how far from the local exchange are you would tell them that its not a viable line for much more than dialup. Sales are sales though, not techs.

dufferlover wrote: »

If I gave them the next door neighbours line would they be able to look at that?

APQ values arent confidential, see below.

MMFITWGDV wrote: »

Put your neighbours number into this page and see what it tells you they can get.

The important bit is being able to enjoy your home. Having a nice place for probably an ok figure would be great, but coming home and not being able to stream that show you like or the kids not being able to face time their friends is a big loss even for a non "nerdy" family.

Rural connection options

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