Desperately Seeking Broadband in North Roscommon

Chipboard

I am moving to North Roscommon in the next couple of weeks and I have spent the last 3 months trying to source broadband with no luck. Looks like I will have to go the satellite route at great expense for a crappier service.

Have enquired about wireless from a company called Last Mile who I believe have a base station on Arigna (they weren't too sure themselves) but I think that might be too far away from my location (Corrigeenroe) and will take several weeks for them to send a technician out to do a line of sight test.

Anyone have any suggestions?

How good / bad is satellite?

fattestman

Have a look at Three broadband. It's only €19.99 per month with speeds of up to 3.6Mb per second and a 10G download limit.

Best thing about it is that if you buy it in a Three Store or online you have a 14 trial period during which you can bring it back and get the contract cancelled.

Might be a better alternative to satellite.

Seagullmusic

Chipboard wrote:

I am moving to North Roscommon in the next couple of weeks and I have spent the last 3 months trying to source broadband with no luck. Looks like I will have to go the satellite route at great expense for a crappier service.

Have enquired about wireless from a company called Last Mile who I believe have a base station on Arigna (they weren't too sure themselves) but I think that might be too far away from my location (Corrigeenroe) and will take several weeks for them to send a technician out to do a line of sight test.

Anyone have any suggestions?

How good / bad is satellite?

Hi Chipboard,
I live on the mountain above Corrigeenroe, and am now also desperately seeking Broadband (Vista is rubbish without it). As yours is an old post, I'm wondering if you've now got Broadband. If not, you might try "Groupnet Broadband" run by Terry Leyden 0863888686. He has a transmitter somewhere near Arigna, which he says is directed towards Drumshanbo, and may not reach Corrigeenroe. He tells me that he is erecting another transmitter nearer Ballyfarnon which, he says, should be good for this area. At present (30th July 2007) I'm waiting for him to "get back to me" telling me it's up and running. Meanwhile my brand new Dell computer with Vista is asleep under the bed, while I use my old PC with XP. Please tell me if you have found an alternative source of Broadband.

Chipboard

No still on the old dial up. Just hit enter and have a read of the Times while you wait.

Terry Leyden had a notice up in the local shop in Ballinafad asking people to ring him if they were interested in BB. I left a message but he hasn't come back to me.

You might post here if he rings you to tell you its up and running.

Seagullmusic

Chipboard wrote:

No still on the old dial up. Just hit enter and have a read of the Times while you wait.

Terry Leyden had a notice up in the local shop in Ballinafad asking people to ring him if they were interested in BB. I left a message but he hasn't come back to me.

You might post here if he rings you to tell you its up and running.

I think I may have some good news for you. Last Mile Broadband charges €30 for 1st 3 months & €38 per month thereafter (Plus €89 connection fee). They have a transmitter at Ballyfarnon which transmits 6 miles as the crow flies. When I 'phoned their head office in Athlone, was told it would be at least 6 weeks after paying deposit, before Engineer could check your house for signal.
Now here's the REALLY good news: I spoke yesterday to Terry Leyden of Groupnet and he tells me that their new transmitter will be situated at the Hillstreet Quarry on the top of the Arigna Mountains, just to the north of Ballyfarnon. He says that quarry is often floodlit at night, and from where I live, we can actually sometimes see these floodlights (thought it was UFO at first sighting) He says it will be a good powerful transmitter and will reach Curlews no problem. Groupnet charges €20 per month. One of my sons has been with them for 6 months and has never had a problem. Now as to the timing, Terry says it will be at least 2 weeks. I asked him if it could be more like 2 months, and he said "God no".... He said they were planning a transmitter at Ballinafad, and it could not go ahead until the one on Arigna was up and running (Must be getting it's signal from there). I am patiently using my old PC with Windows XP and 26.2kbps download speed. Can't really say when Leyden's operation will be actually functioning here, but in comparison to Last Mile, it seems worth waiting for. Maybe a bit of the Irish "Manana" about it, but I do feel that at some stage...maybe not too long..we will have it EUREKA!!

KStaford

Hi chip,

I live in Ballinafad, just rang him, he is talking about supplying a new transmitter to Ballinafad in the next month or so. There's a government site there (NPWS) or something like that that he will be supplying. He recons there will be plenty of spare capacity off it.
Bear in mind his bandwidth packages are small, 128kb, 256kb . . . up to one mb etc but he is really targeting people who just need reliable internet for browsing and emial and have no alternative.

Sponge Bob

this lot are moving closer, you could ask !

http://www.ciaracom.ie/index.html

shiner74

Hey just new to the board, so could be posting this wrong

In the same situation, all the 3, Vodafone & 02 are a no no in most parts of Roscommon, Not going to see most of the other providers to do a rollout out side of Roscommon town or larger towns till next year been chasing them for past 6 months only other option I've come accross is www.azotel-brisknet.ie

Internet connectivity options

BriskNet offers a range of Internet connectivity options

tariff download upload limit cost/month
Urban Home 1Mb 128kb 20GB €24
Rural Home 1Mb 128kb 20GB €34
Small Office 1Mb 256kb 20GB €69.99*
Business 2Mb 512kb Unlimited €99.99*
Premium 2Mb 1Mb Unlimited €149.99*
Corporate 4Mb 2Mb Unlimited €249.99*

*Business packages are plus VAT

Standard installation charge of €99 plus VAT = €112.36

Note:

1. Requires Line of Sight.
2. BriskNet provides free site survey, upon return of completed contract form.
3. BriskNet Equipment includes the placement of a Subscriber Unit on the roof or wall of the Customers premises. Subscriber Unit remains the property of BriskNet.
4. As your wireless broadband service provides 'always on' connectivity, we strongly recommend the installation of a firewall or similar security measures.
5. All subscriptions are paid bi-monthly in advance.
6. Setup fee assumes standard install i.e. approx. 2 hours labour, 20m cable.

Seagullmusic

Hi Chipboard,
Just thought I'd post to tell you that I've finally got Broadband. I got fed up waiting for Groupnet, and got O2. Don't know if the speed is fantastic, but it's definitely much better than Dial-up. Also not paying minute by slow minute, and monopolising phone-line. My computer tells me that I'm getting 236kps. On another note, my new Dell Inspiron computer is a complete lemon having been delivered with a faulty modem. Then when it was replaced it consistently misbehaved, going to sleep before Windows loaded, and generally being unusable. Spent DAYS on phone to a troubleshooting call centre in Bombay, then had motherboard replaced and STILL not functioning. Am now asking for money back, and feeling very disgruntled. Anyone else have probs with Dell?