Broadband Options - Help/Advice Needed!!

bcstrat33

Hi all,

I've just moved to a new apartment in Leixlip, Co. Kildare and am wondering what my broadband options are. There are a few restrictions and from the research I've done it looks like my options are pretty limited as a result. Hopefully someone on here can give me some ideas! Details as follows:

(1) No land-line.
(2) 2nd floor apartment in a 3 floor complex. No Antenna allowed on the roof.
(3) Just out of range of Digiweb 'Metro' signal.
(4) Have heard bad things about O2 & Vodafone Wireless (USB dongle thing...). Need decent connection speed, both upload & download. Could probably live with average upload speed.

If anyone has any ideas I'd be really greatful! Thanks!!

jor el

No land line, no antenna, no Digiweb, don't like 3G. You're choices I'm afraid are pretty close to zero.

Since the antenna is out of your control I'd say go ahead and get a land line, it's just about your only realistic choice. However, the upload speed on DSL products is generally about 10 times less than the download. All the 3M offerings come with 384k max upload. The 3G products have an upload of around 300-400k too I believe, but only when on HSDPA. If you're on GPRS, EDGE or plain vanilla 3G then it'll be lower. I've heard nothing bad about O2 and Vodafone, only 3.

Is there any NTL broadband available?

bcstrat33

Thanks jor el,

Yeah it looks like I'm a bit scr*w*d really unless I give in and get the landline (won't use the phone so wanted to avoid paying line rental...).

RE: NTL - there is actually an NTL wireless modem sitting in my living room, obviously there from the last tenants. I've tried to connect but it doesn't seem to be working or setup as I can't find a signal.
And I know your next question - why don't I get that set up? Well I'm kinda getting their cable for free via a certain 'Magic Box' . With their package they only seem to offer broadband with a cable subscription, which I'm not willing to pay.

Sorry if I seem to be putting a lot of restrictions on myself here but I'm really cheap!!!

bcstrat33

Oh, forgot to mention: Maybe it was 3 that I heard bad stuff about their Wireless. Possibly O2 & Vodafone are ok??
Do you know what sort of connection speeds they offer? Do they cover Leixlip?? I might investigate that option a little further.

ardmacha

Get the landline and use the phone on it, it is cheaper for you to call and for people to call you on a landline.

foggy_lad

try clearwire if they are in that area?

thebman

bcstrat33 wrote: »

Oh, forgot to mention: Maybe it was 3 that I heard bad stuff about their Wireless. Possibly O2 & Vodafone are ok??
Do you know what sort of connection speeds they offer? Do they cover Leixlip?? I might investigate that option a little further.

You'd be better off with landline or cable anyway as it is a better service than mobile broadband no matter what (can't game or VOIP properly with mobile broadband).

I'd recommend cable if you have NTL or Eircom landline and broadband, you can switch provider after you get the line but get it with eircom first as I think they bias toward their own customers or at least you'd expect them to given we don't have a consumer broadband regulator as Comreg stated to 3 broadband customer (see hunger buster sized thread on 3's Fraudband).

One of the guys in work has O2 and has gotten 1Mbps on the train to Maynooth without the connection dropping but I'm not sure how accurate his statement is. He is the companies Sys Admin and he knows his stuff but I doubt its quite that good, miles better than 3 though if you have no other option.

Vodafone are more honest about what their service can do AFAIK and you can get acceptable speeds with them too.

The mobile operators do offer trials so ask in store about the trials so you know when to return them if you decide to go with a mobile provider.

edit---

I cannot stress this enough, do not sign up for Clearwire. Look into Digiweb's wireless service (might want to wait for users here as I know nothing about it but digiweb's other services seem to have happy customers), even ripwave is better than Clearwires service (a friend has it in Maynooth and has regretted it since signing up for Clearwire).

gingerGiant

You could try Irish Broadband they cover parts of Leixlip with breeze from a highsite at Intel, and have been known to put the antenna on the balcony. They might be worth a try, they use 3.5 gear out there so L.O.S is not as important as with their normal 5.4 gear.

thebman

I use IBB Breeze in Maynooth and get uncontended service 95% of the time. Even at peak times, I'd recommend it if you can get it especially if you can get a review from someone in Leixlip, don't think it'd be the same mast as the one in Maynooth, you'd be connecting to.

watty

I've had no trouble with O2 3G/HSDPA, with downloads around the 800k, but upload is about 70k, both not unusual speeds for working HSDPA technology. Very high Pings in Dublin 700ms to 999ms+ and 170ms+ in mid-West.

Most Systems have 1/4 to 1/16th the upload speed of the download.

Systems with close to 1:1 speed are Dialup, ISDN, SDSL, leased line, HSUPA (not HSDPA), IBB Breeze, Digiweb Wireless (not their mobile, satellite or Metro).

bcstrat33

Great stuff, thanks for the help folks.