HSDPA or 3G around Swinford Co.Mayo

machalla

This is probably in vain

A relation of mine is looking for an alternative to BB in a rural area about 2 miles outside of Swinford town, towards the CastleBar side of things.

They don't want to bother with a landline if they can't get a guarantee that BB is available and preferrably they would like to use HSDPA or failing that 3G. Nothing too heavy usage is likely, just email and web browsing basically.

Does anyone have any ideas what might be the best option for them between 3, O2 and vodafone? Is there any 3G coverage or HSDPA (unlikely I suspect and 3G looks dubious too) in the area does anyone know? Only Vodafone and 3 seem to have a useful coverage map and it doesn't look hopeful. I have tried a vodafone 3g card in the area before and just about got a gprs connection.

If anyone has any experience or knowledge of what the coverage is like there I'd appreciate it. I'm not sure if any of the providers do a try and take back offer (if it doesn't work).

Thanks for any help with this.

stereo_steve

Look yourself...:)

http://www.askcomreg.ie/mobile/site_viewer.asp

There doesn't seem to be many masts around (3G anyway)

Vodafone has two in Castlebar and O2 has one. You might be lucky and get an ok signal in the house.

machalla

Thanks for that Stereo, I never thought of the comreg site (just too used to them being useless).

Thats cleared it up. Basically GSM/GPRS around there at best it seems unless the map is out of date.

Cheers for the help.

lucernarian

That comreg map is not much use for 3G coverage. I live half a mile and with LOS to a three mast but this isn't on the comreg map. Also, there's a Voda 3G mast a mile from me but I get no signal whatsoever from it because of a hill and lots of trees.

Use the coverage maps of the 3G companies. I've found Vodafone and three's to be pretty accurate, O2 less so.

Bard

I'm not sure if any of the providers do a try and take back offer (if it doesn't work).

3 do this - you have 14 days to try it and if you're not happy with the coverage/service you can return it for a full refund.

And according to their coverage map (attatched here), between Swinford and Castlebar should be fine (as long as you're not too close to, say, Kiltimagh...)

(3's 3G coverage is marked out in dark blue on the map)

jor el

To_be_confirmed wrote:

Use the coverage maps of the 3G companies. I've found Vodafone and three's to be pretty accurate, O2 less so.

Having a look at 3's own site I've found their map to be woefully over estimated, and painfully slow. Not too encouraging when they're supposed to be providing high speed internet access. Not sure about Vodafone's but O2's seemed pretty realistic, in my experience with them anyway.

The Comreg map is useful to tell you if there is a mast in your area, but obviously won't give information about hills or other obstacles in the way, but if you live in the area then you should know the lay of the land. There may be some new/updated sites not on it yet, but that's to be expected as all the networks are currently updating/installing this technology at the moment.

lucernarian

I checked the three coverage map again, and it is indeed a bit overstated.

Still, Vodafone's map is the best for accuracy.

Sponge Bob

try www.westnet.ie for proper wireless around there.