Rural Broadband

SniperOverLord

Just looking for a bit of feedback here. We live approx 8km outside Ennis in Co. Clare. There is a fibre exchange approx 1.5 to 2 km away but we can't be connected to it. Lately out broadband speeds have dropped and Vodafone have been unable to do anything about it. They send Eir engineers out but they tell us that they can't see broadband on our line because Vodafone aren't supplying them with the necessary information regarding the line i.e. sports etc. We get about 1.2 mb download speed which constantly drops connectivity. I've also seen that current broadband in the town itself is being updraded to 1 gb download speed. How can they justify such a huge upgrade in urban areas and absolutely neglect other paying subscribers i.e rural subscribers?

SniperOverLord

Also, just to add. We can receive perfect 4g speeds in our location. Would there be a case for Vodafone replacing our landline broadband for 4g broadband with the same usage limits if they continue to be unable to fix the issue?

Gonzo

SniperOverLord wrote: »

Also, just to add. We can receive perfect 4g speeds in our location. Would there be a case for Vodafone replacing our landline broadband for 4g broadband with the same usage limits if they continue to be unable to fix the issue?

I very much doubt it, Fixed line and wireless networks would have very different usage limits for a reason. Three are the only wireless network who allow you to use it unlimited and their network is in bits because of that.

SniperOverLord

I was thinking as much. Vodafones highest pascal he has a limit of 50gb on 4g. Wouldn't last long for streaming in hd. I'll just have to hope that they can sort out the landline connection soon.

editorsean

Vodafone do a 150GB 4G package for €60/month. They don't promote this on their website, but I have heard of people going for it and also seen it on their recent flyer for mobile broadband packages.

If you get decent Three 4G reception, it is worth doing a test run with a Three SIM, which you can try in an unlocked phone or 4G router if you have one handy.

Eir also do two mobile broadband packages - 100GB for €45/month or 250GB for €60/month. They use the Meteor 3G / 4G network, which is pretty fast especially in rural areas. Eir only offer these packages in store, however, I've heard mixed reports about them refusing to provide these packages to anyone who can already get even a 2Mb DSL connection.

PureIsle

SniperOverLord wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of feedback here. We live approx 8km outside Ennis in Co. Clare. There is a fibre exchange approx 1.5 to 2 km away but we can't be connected to it. Lately out broadband speeds have dropped and Vodafone have been unable to do anything about it. They send Eir engineers out but they tell us that they can't see broadband on our line because Vodafone aren't supplying them with the necessary information regarding the line i.e. sports etc. We get about 1.2 mb download speed which constantly drops connectivity. I've also seen that current broadband in the town itself is being updraded to 1 gb download speed. How can they justify such a huge upgrade in urban areas and absolutely neglect other paying subscribers i.e rural subscribers?

eir are rolling out FTTH on the outskirts of Ennis.
Some of the fibe cable is already hanging from poles.

Are you on one of those 'blue-line' routes?
If so you should have 1,000Mb/s available to you quite soon.

511

SniperOverLord wrote: »

How can they justify such a huge upgrade in urban areas and absolutely neglect other paying subscribers i.e rural subscribers?

It's because rural areas are not profitable. They're subsidized by urban customers.

SniperOverLord

PureIsle wrote: »

SniperOverLord wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of feedback here. We live approx 8km outside Ennis in Co. Clare. There is a fibre exchange approx 1.5 to 2 km away but we can't be connected to it. Lately out broadband speeds have dropped and Vodafone have been unable to do anything about it. They send Eir engineers out but they tell us that they can't see broadband on our line because Vodafone aren't supplying them with the necessary information regarding the line i.e. sports etc. We get about 1.2 mb download speed which constantly drops connectivity. I've also seen that current broadband in the town itself is being updraded to 1 gb download speed. How can they justify such a huge upgrade in urban areas and absolutely neglect other paying subscribers i.e rural subscribers?

eir are rolling out FTTH on the outskirts of Ennis.
Some of the fibe cable is already hanging from poles.

Are you on one of those 'blue-line' routes?
If so you should have 1,000Mb/s available to you quite soon.

Just checked last night. The blue line routes finish about 150 yarrds either side of our house. There will be a pocket of about 10 houses caught in the middle of our road that won't be upgraded.

Gonzo

SniperOverLord wrote: »

Just checked last night. The blue line routes finish about 150 yarrds either side of our house. There will be a pocket of about 10 houses caught in the middle of our road that won't be upgraded.

I feel bad for areas like that, really they should have been blue lined. if there is a big gap of nothing between those 10 houses and the blue lines either side, then that might explain it, but I have seen other cases were there are 20 houses together and only 14 are blue lined, make no sense not to deploy the final 6. If your area is down for 2017/2020 then maybe they might change it to include all the houses as the engineers hone in on the area more closer to development.

SniperOverLord

It's bizarre to say the least. There's literally a gap of about a km (if even) that's not blue lined. Very frustrating.

editorsean

It's similar along my home street where the blue line stops at the 3rd lane before my house. Then again, a few houses a little further up the road have satellite Internet dishes probably due to the DSL not reaching that far, so I can imagine how they feel being just outside Eir's FTTH endpoint.

SniperOverLord

It just seems that we'll have to accept our lot with this one I'm afraid.