Don’t get broadsided by broadband – quick guide
Maeve Kneafsey, IIA Chair and MD of Elucidate was recently asked to contribute to a Sunday Times article about broadband in light of Vodafone‘s entry into the market. Here below are her thoughts which make a handy pocket sized guide to choosing broadband in Ireland.
What should consumers expect to get from a decent basic broadband package?
One of the big things for consumers to watch out for is not just the monthly cost, but also to compare the speed or megabytes (mb) they are being offered and all the additional extras involved in installing the service into their home or business. There can be a lot of hidden costs, so check the detail and then make your cost comparison. Watch out for the cap on the amount of files you can transfer in any given month as this can be really expensive if you go over your cap. The opening offer from Vodafone for a 2mb broadband connection for EUR49.00 a month, includes installation.
What is the best type of broadband – (ADSL), cable-TV connections, or wirelessly through the air via a satellite dish or aerial?
Depends on what is most important to you, convenience (being able to move around), speed, cost and of course if the service or choice are available in your area. Most areas don’t even have a huge choice as often served by one or two service providers.
Wireless via satellite can be expensive, wireless via the air is reliable and convenient (depending on providers coverage of course) but can be a bit slow (e.g. 3.5mb or download or upload speed), sky offer 8-9mb which seems very fast, ADSL still seems to be the fastest and the most reliable, but it is not always the cheapest and it may not be available in your area. Also watch out if it says it is an up to 2mb it may be less than 2mb.
What is the best way of shopping around for a deal?
Maybe start by using a very handy online tool called the Broadband Calculator that allows you to fill in your preferences and it will deliver a result – http://www.callcosts.ie/broadband/Broadband_Calculator.175.LE.asp which is (from what I can tell) an independent source of information. It asks you questions such as do you want to exclude the cost of a telephone line rental as some providers don’t need a phone line to operate, what speed you want etc.
I would also use the price comparison websites http://www.broadband.gov.ie/List+all++Services/ to compare costs and download speeds. However, your journey does not end there, because then you have to check that your shortlist providers are available in your area which you can find out from http://mapviewer.broadband.gov.ie/ServiceByLocationSearchWF.aspx.
Then double check there aren’t any hidden costs associated with installation and add-ons to your monthly charges, which may not have been mentioned earlier. You need to double check exactly what you will see as a total charge on your monthly bill before you agree to sign up to any service provider. No harm in asking them to confirm by email. You should also check how long it will take before it will be set up (“Is there a waiting list?”) and exactly what is involved. You don’t want to be sitting waiting all day for them to arrive, or have a team ready to work without any access to broadband. So ask how this is managed and can you book a specific time for installation.
An added difficulty can be getting a response from the providers, especially if you contact them via their website or email. But if they do offer you to contact them via email or their website and don’t respond to your query, it might indicate how well they will deal with you in the future if you are experiencing problems with your service.
Who do you think is offering the best deal at the moment?
I would love to answer this one, but it depends on what is the top priority for you. Is it speed, ability to move around, reliability, availability in your area or cost? Good luck!
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[...] what to look out for. I keep meaning to write them down but now Maeve Kneafsey has written a post Don’t get broadsided by broadband – quick guide which means I don’t have [...]
hi, cool web site and good articles.
The The first step is to learn how to find out what your Internet speed is.The Internet speed is determined by 2 components: the download rate and the upload rate of data which are usually measured in Kilobits per second.
Then after you know the upload and download rate, you can use tools or tweaks to improve your internet speed, or take the decision to change your ISP.
I agree, you can also check your internet connection speed at speedtest dot net. By the way I have tried many different internet providers and all of them have disadvantages. I can’t even recommend anything =)
I have been using the internet provider called Elion for a long time and their service is not as good as I thought. I always have troubles with WiFi.
I used to have satelite internet service but it was extremely unreliable. The winter weather really affected the service. I now have dsl and will never use satelite again!
Me too! I’ve gone back to DSL just recently and it doesn’t have as many flaws.
Finding a good ISP is indeed a bit of a challenge , their ads say that they are fast and they don’t have any disconnections but in reality your get plenty of both. And they failed to mention when they have multiple users online it’ll sap you bandwidth greatly.
Another important question I usually ask is how is their tech support. Do they have a 24 hour hotline and how fast do they respond to a service complaint.
It depends on what is most important to you, convenience (being able to move around), speed, cost and of course if the service or choice are available in your area. Most areas don’t even have a huge choice as often served by one or two service providers.
Hi all,
Mobile Broadband from any internet service provider (ISP) is still to this day, not reliable. I have used 3 broadband from 3 Mobile and the signal drops very often, specialty in a Sunday for some reason.
In Britain there is only one answer to the best Broadband and that’s, fibre optic cables. Virgin (owned by Branson) does provide the most reliable and fastest network in the UK.
BT have clued up to this and have started to install a Fibre Option network to replace their copper network, which is slower and incapable to offer super speed broadband to anyone.
Here’s a tip, use Intel’s “Broadband Speedtest”, if you have a 10meg service you should get results around 3.5Mbps. Broadband companies can not guarantee to give you what they say the speed actually is as the network does change during the day to compromise for busy times.
Thanks for the great information. Right now I have great broadband to my home computer, but have been looking into getting something mobile…looking in comments and such, is there a time that you think pricing will come down to a level that is almost the same as regular broad band, or is it the premium I have to pay for mobility?
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for your comment. I suppose mobility could be considered a bonus but it may be that prices will become more competitive as more people use it and greater choice becomes available. Also as broadband becomes more ubiquitous and it is offered more freely or cost effectively in public places I would imagine mobile broadband might become more competitive. Consider how competitive the prices and varied the products are currently for fixed line broadband as compared to even 2 years ago… For me the drawback with a mobile broadband dongle is that only I can use it whereas with a wireless router in the office or at home more than one user can access it. In a pinch when I am on the move I can use my mobile phone which is HSDPA enabled as a modem. I would imagine this kind of usage will become more common and users will purchase data with their text and call packages rather than a separate dongle.
Roseanne
I just happened to read an article somewhere about how the US government has earmarked funds for expaning rural broadband. Not sure we (U>S>) can afford it right now…but everyone shouold have access to internet.
I have 1Mbit download and 256Kbit upload speed. And as my connection is ADSL, I consider myself lucky if I see past 110kb download speed. I wish I had a faster internet speed.
Excellent set of tips for ISP shoppers. I wanted to say that these gems of advice also apply in the US (and probably most other places). Also, I wanted to stress the last point about customer service. Broadband is a great surfing experience, but if you ever have problems with it, you’ll almost certainly need a top-notch tech support team to help you get running again. Larger providers have far more resources to put customer service in place, but it’s not always better. So, in addition to the tech specs, make sure to feel out the organization too!
Good report. I’ve always cautioned my visitors about satellite Internet and to use it only as a last resort. Between the cost of installation, monthly costs, problems with weather, and caps on monthly usage, using the Internet via satellite is usually a rough experience.
I have been using the internet provider called Elion for a long time and their service is not as good as I thought. I always have troubles with WiFi.
I agree with Mikle. I have service with Elion and have trouble connecting to the WiFi network. I’m not sure if it is infrastructure problems on their end or hardware/software problems on my end. Anyone else experiencing difficulty with Elion?
Hi,
On the subject of broadband, Vodafone is the best network to go with for mobile broadband in the UK because their network is very up to date with the money they spend on it.
I’ve tested Vodafone, 3 Mobile and T-Mobile for 3 month and it’s Vodafone that’s on top. For a start Vodafone’s modem or it be their network infrastructure seems to be very reliable compared to the rest of them.
3 Mobile was very unstable with signals dropping all the time and sometimes for hours. I put it down to their servers or network lag. They seem to have improved a bit since 4 month ago.
T-Mobile didn’t let me down as much as 3 Mobile but it did cut out sometimes.
If you are considering mobile broadband, go with Vodafone.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your input. I wonder if Irish consumers have similar experiences. I don’t use mobile broadband myself being based in a city so I’d love to hear what Irish consumers have to say.
Roseanne
Many people purchase broadband not really understanding what speed they are getting just looking at the costs and services. There are so many options to choose from I can sort of understand the basis of the uninitiated going for costs alone.
I agree with Roseanne. Choosing the best broadband ISP for you depends on what you prioritize on. If speed is more important, then you can go for ADSL or cable-TV connections. They’re more reliable when it comes to speed and connection stability. Wifi is recommended if you move a lot (i.e. if you frequently travel and need regular connection for your laptop). This type of connection has more lags than the previous options, and you would really have a slower connection; but the good thing is, you will always have an internet connection even when you’re on the move.
Hi, I live in south Limerick, and I have 3 wifi and I find it is not very reliable.
I made contact with 3 recently and they said I need to up grade. I agreed to upgrade and I find it is worse than original modem. For some reason sunday morning is the best result of the whole week.
Great article! It really is a jungle out there when you consider mobile broadband. Not just for us so called ‘young people’ who more or less grew up with internet, but also in regards to the ‘older generation’ (no offence). I had to help my mother hook up on the internet and I almost had a seizure half way through. My dear mother had seen all the commercials on both regular broadband and mobile broadband, so I had to sit down with her and discuss the different types of internet and providers… it took ages. Almost makes you sentimental for the days, when you only had a modem and a telephone line… or not
As you’d expect location is a huge factor in deciding on the best broadband service. With many rural areas suffering with very poor coverage sometimes broadband options are heavily limited, and it’s just not possible to get the best provider deals.
Generally fixed line broadband will tend to be faster and more reliable, like ADSL and Cable broadband internet. In you live in a rural area sometimes this isn’t an option and the only services available are Mobile Wireless or satellite internet.
Mobile and Mobile Wireless broadband are best if you use the internet mainly in metro areas, when you need to access the internet in multiple locations, or if you don’t want to be tied down with a fixed line service (E.G. when you live at a rental property).Once you figure out what your needs are, it will then be easier to shop around for a good deal.
If you live in a remote location that doesn’t have cable, DSL or mobile broadband availability and your only choice is satellite internet service, try and opt for the largest dish offered by the service provider. Having a larger dish increases the dishes surface area. The larger the surface area, the better the signal gain. This is especially true for those of you who live in areas that experience heavy rain, snow, wind or dust.
With the new 4G network comming up, i guess we will see a huge change in how we use internet.
For the people far away from the cities Fiber net, they will get broadband allso.
I have only once had a bad experience with any form of current internet services and this was purely related to my location not the capabilities of the cable network service. We run three laptops, I work from home and we have a cable wireless network that is just perfect. I never have problems with connection and downloads are fast.
In Europe the tele companies are obligated to rent out space on their networks to competitors that’s helping to keep the prices low. In the US as an example companies like Comcast are not forced to rent space to competitors and that makes it very hard for competition to set up and that keeps the prices relatively high on broadband.
Mobile broadband (even in the UK) is still very unreliable and many as I do (I live on a boat) have to rely on it and is unfortunately the only answer in the short term.
Bring on the spectrum auction and let’s start to see some real improvements in the mobile broadband industry.
Only 4 more years to wait guys….
A good tip is to phone your broadband provider and ask if they can give an estimated speed which will give you a much better indication than the advertised maximum download speed which is rarely achieved.
I used to have satelite internet service but it was extremely unreliable. The winter weather really affected the service. I now have dsl and will never use satelite again!
I’m hoping that the 4G services that are in the pipeline are a real game-changer for mobile broadband services in the UK.
Smartphone adoption is growing at such a high rate, and with more and more tablet devices now launching, UK mobile networks have a tough job on their hands to cope with this load.
We’ve already seen T-Mobile and Vodafone already begin to change their data allowance for existing contracts and until something’s done to improve the mobile infrastructure I suspect this will only continue.
You can check your internet speed online. The area your in also has a large part to play in the speed
Definitely depends on your preference/and or availability as to which broadband package you choose. In reality, mobile broadband is such a long way of from being able to offer consumers a real alternative to fixed-line broadband in terms of speed and reliability.
The biggest mistake people make is thinking they’ll get the advertised speed on the broadband packages. Ofcom found that broadband packages (particularly over the ADSL network) often only delivered an actual speed of around 45% of that ‘up to’ figure. Make sure you ask any prospective provider to give you an estimated actual speed to your address before you sign up.
I am sure these operators would not want to become part of the most mobile broadband complaints for 2012..they should have done something to improve their services.