National Broadband Ireland : implementation and progress

The Continental Op · 22-01-2026 12:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124170105#Comment_124170105

Whats the install fee? I'm still trying to get to the bottom of Vodafone trying to charge me €100 installation?

I ruled out Eir as being expensive long term. I prefer Vodafone and just stick with the cheaper long term contract rather than trying to get the cheapest contract every couple of years.

Locally the next 4 houses up the road have had Vodafone fibre for the last 4 (or more?) years. No issues. Only a week long outage when a storm took trees and poles down, but all providers would have been hit by that.

listermint · 22-01-2026 01:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124170158#Comment_124170158

Vodafone just says 'free setup....'. That's fairly unclear.

Eir says 'free installation worth 149' fairly cut and dry

heavydawson · 23-01-2026 02:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124157800#Comment_124157800

Not expired. They've continuously extended it, and as of today it's still running until June 2026, and I'm sure they'll extend it again before then.

NBI Published Promotions v3.0 (Redline)-2.pdf

Important Term in the T&C though:
Pre-order period dates from up to 90 (ninety) days prior to the Ready for Service (RFS) date to 14 (fourteen) days prior to the RFS date only. From 14 days prior to the RFS date, the pre-order window will close, and pre-orders will no longer be available for selection.

It makes sense for them to extend it until the very last DA goes RFS, and then end the promotion (some time later this year I believe?)

The Cush · 23-01-2026 02:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124172027#Comment_124172027

I'd forgotten the terms of the offer, since I availed of the free installation during our pre-order period last July.

So NBI offer free installation to the RSP during the pre-order phase of the rollout, in turn the RSP doesn't charge the customer for installation.

Outside of the pre-order period NBI charges the RSP the installation fee, they in turn can charge the customer the installation fee or waive it at their discretion.

The free installation promotion is to encourage retailers and potential customers to sign up early I guess.

I'm assuming Continental, above, is outside the pre-order period?

The Continental Op · 23-01-2026 10:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124172033#Comment_124172033

Yeah I didn't preorder. But when I talk to CS on the phone they avoid the question and say they can sign me up for free. I'll probably order again today and see what happens.

FastFullBack · 26-01-2026 04:51PM

NBI now available at my location, so planning to get it. A couple of questions

I have a duct running from my internal network location right out to the road, so the fibre can come in. When I built the house I put lots of network drops around the place, but one I forgot was at the front gate for electric gate in future. So I was planning to just use the Fibre duct and put CAT6 into it now before NBI install. From what I've researched Fibre and CAT6 in the same duct shouldnt cause any issue and I would pull the CAT6 through first. Will the NBI installers kick up a fuss if they see a CAT6 cable in the duct they are supposed to use?

Which NBI providers will allow me to use my Unifi Dream Machine directly without having to use their router? I think I've read in this thread that Vodafone allow and will share the required settings? Any more?

listermint · 26-01-2026 04:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182279#Comment_124182279

No i doubt it. They just want the duct to be easy for the fibre cable. If it's work they might kick up a fuss.

NotShero · 26-01-2026 05:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182279#Comment_124182279

You should be able to use your router with any provider through NBI, just connect directly to the ONT. You'll need the PPPoE details here, Eir and Virgin can use IPoE/Dynamic IP/DHCP instead. Virgin needs original router MAC address spoofing also. Internet VLAN ID 10 is needed in VLAN settings for all providers.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058426689/pppoe-credentials-reference

ptogher14 · 26-01-2026 08:16PM

I was in a similar situation and wanted to pull a CAT6 out to the gate. I gave the NBI lads and pulled both in at the same time. Less risk of damage to cables if you pull them in together. Make sure its external rated CAT6. No issue with fibre and copper in the same duct.

I'm using Unifi on the Eir network. The NBI guy was sound and a spreadsheet of credentials for the various providers. Most can be found with a search anyway

The Continental Op · 26-01-2026 08:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182868#Comment_124182868

Hope you pulled genuine certified CAT6. Its getting hard to get genuine copper cable. Most of the outdoor cable you can get on Amazon is Copper Clad Aluminium.

listermint · 26-01-2026 09:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182949#Comment_124182949

Amazon. Nah cable monkeys 👍

I've got my install scheduled for tomorrow. Excite ! Our original date range at the launch of the NBP was 2026. And here we are.

Woop

ptogher14 · 26-01-2026 09:45PM

Bought the cable in the wholesalers

Charles Babbage · 26-01-2026 10:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182868#Comment_124182868

I suppose we all want to know what you gave the NBI lads!

eeloe · 27-01-2026 09:17AM

I had virgin media at the door last night around 8pm, trying to sell to me.

Offering 5gb line for 55 a month.

Pure Telecom who i have pre ordered with were only offering 1gb, i believe i have a decision to make.

listermint · 27-01-2026 09:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183835#Comment_124183835

For how long and how much...

Make sure to look at your online portal with you eircode. There's a raft of suppliers available

FastFullBack · 27-01-2026 10:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182949#Comment_124182949

I've bought lots of things from freetv.ie in the past, so I was looking at their 100M CAT6 rolls; https://www.freetv.ie/outdoor-cat6-utp-ethernet-cable-roll/

Is that good enough or should I look at their other products:

CAT6 with GEL :

https://www.freetv.ie/gel-filled-cat6-network-cable/

Or even their CAT7 (defo dont need the speeds) https://www.freetv.ie/outdoor-cat7-cable/

Glaceon · 27-01-2026 10:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183991#Comment_124183991

The first freetv.ie one says "CCA Conductor with Plastic Separator" - so definitely not that one.

The Continental Op · 27-01-2026 11:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183991#Comment_124183991

The second looks the best as it says its pure copper. However non of those cables quote any certification. Ideally you want ANSI/TIA-568 certification. Anything that is CCA can't be certified as it fails many of the certification requirements. Personally I wouldn't bother with outdoor cable in ducting provided I was running good quality cable.

Checking Amazon the best I can come up with is https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oren-CAT6-Outdoor-Ethernet-Cable/dp/B09RKVWYN5 also available in 100m drum but for some reason can't directly link to that.

Here's a good list of reasons not to use CCA https://www.belden.com/blog/cca-cable-5-reasons-to-stay-away

amdaley28 · 27-01-2026 12:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183835#Comment_124183835

5gb 😯 Are you running a small country or something 😅

eeloe · 27-01-2026 02:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124184417#Comment_124184417

pure telecom are 40pm for 1gb, only 15 more for 5gb with virgin….

amdaley28 · 27-01-2026 02:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124184651#Comment_124184651

Yes that's true but it's no good unless you can use it ?

No point in paying for something you can't use.

listermint · 27-01-2026 05:37PM

I think we're 10 months under our original target date. But we are 6 months over our revised one from 2025.

Either way. I'm happy , happy delighted.

Wireless speedtest from phone.

listermint · 29-01-2026 11:57PM

Have this a few days now. And I have to say real fibre, game changer. I'm well versed in high speed applications working in tech industry.

And having moved from LTE to starlink I was happy with the offering there . It felt like a real step up. I used to have cable via virgin media in previous location.

But this fibre is lighting fast. Wipes the floor with my starlink. Even just basic phone browsing. It laces through Instagram and show no latency in websites. Starlink had high speeds but there was an ever present lag there. Nothing a basic user would potentially notice but it was there.

Very satisfied. Can't recommend it enough.

irishgeo · 01-02-2026 07:28PM

broadband outage in our area. No info at all from anyone.

NBI need a powercheck style website to alert us to outages and repair times.

naughto · 02-02-2026 03:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124198562#Comment_124198562

Is it back yet?

There was a power cut yesterday around half 1

The Continental Op · 02-02-2026 05:47PM

Finally got around to ordering Broadband through vodafone again. This time did the whole thing through online chat.

€100 install fee mentioned but waived (have that in saved chat) but rep didn't give me the extra fiver off for the first 6 months until I asked for it.

Will have to wait and see how it all works out.

pureza · 02-02-2026 06:49PM

Here at my isolated east coast location 45 mins south of Dublin…NBI have put a pole up outside my entrance

It’s a long lane about 500 metres

However the existing Eir poles to my house run along a field ditch from the road up to the house

That’s about a 100 metres from this new pole

Is it even possible to run fibre 500 metres from a junction box they put on that pole?

Also the existing Eir line along the public road is at the other side of the road

What’s going on here?

NBI say July to September for here

The Cush · 02-02-2026 09:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124200494#Comment_124200494

NBI will have an install plan for your premises. This could mean new poles on your lane once you place an order, also using existing eircom poles as required. This is the install part of the rollout and so covered under a different part of the government subsidy, up to €5,000.

A roll of drop fibre is 500m in length, so up to that distance between DP and premises is possible.

At that distance a separate install crew will run the fibre and an installer will come another day to install the ONT and get you up and running.

pureza · 02-02-2026 10:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124200886#Comment_124200886

I will not be accepting poles on the lane

There’s nothing wrong with the poles on the ditch further over along that also run from the road to the house

The ditch line of poles are mapped,it’s like as if the new pole installers made a mistake?

Btw is there any reduction in speed if you are using the full 500 metres?

The Cush · 02-02-2026 11:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201104#Comment_124201104

Only NBI know the install plan for your premises anything else is guess work. When you place your order an NBI rep or crew may call out to arrange how the install will be done, they won't force anything on you.

No reduction in speed for the 500m run of fibre from the DP to the house. The fibre optic signal can run 20 kms unbroken and unamplified, small reductions for various splits along the way.

The installer on the day will measure the light signal arriving at the ONT and the signal drop between DP and ONT and this must fall into a certain range to be passed ok. I posted the numbers here in this thread after our install at the end of August last.

National Broadband Ireland : implementation and progress

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