info about irishbroadband.ie?

JTMan

I phoned them today. They were most helpful.

They told me that there next mast will be in Blackrock. They were supposed to have it up by now but it now looks like it will be 2-3 months before it will be live. Then monkstown will be covered!:)

They also told me that the mast at RTÉ is moving upwards meaning the radius will be increasing.

The line of sight test is free with no obligation. Worth a try if you think you are anywhere near the mast.

David C

I thought I read something about a site in Loughlinstown.. any word?
If not, a site on Bray Head on the East Coast Radio/MMDS mast perhaps would probably cover me here in Cabinteely...
3 Rock & Killiney Hill would also be good sites as I mentioned before..

Unfortunatley there is a drop after the rise at Foxrock church so I don't think the Donnybrook RTÉ mast would reach out here and the rise at Cornelscourt blocks out the view to Sandyford I think..
If I was able to get a signal, I would certainly sign up!

Gunn4r

would love to hear some time horizons on when areas will be opened up?? even rough dates?

csaddict

I was wondering if anyone else has actually signed up for this yet?

Kevok - did you sign up in the end?

I was on the phone with them (talking to Michael/Lizzard as it turned out) to try and get more info on the offering - I'm based in Stillorgan and they're coming out to do a LOS test at the end of the week.

He did mention that he was up in Three Rock this week, and they'll be putting a base station/high point up there at some stage in the near future (didn't specify a date).

From talking with him, it seemed like they've got their stuff together - definitely more than a certain telco I could mention - and I'm sorely tempted (did the iStream trial but moved house before I had to pay for it) but I'd like to know of some other users because I got the impression they were only starting off...

shabbyroad

the line-of-sight test involves one of their people coming to your office/house/location and pointing a directional antenna at their mast. Using a laptop they confirm that there is a signal and it's of sufficient quality. Pretty straightforward.

I've been fortunate enough to meet them and they're a very professional operation. It will give me great pleasure to use them in D15 rather than give money to anyone else.

I see real potential for 802.11a services around the country. As this technology gets better it will leave behind xDSL for residential use (in fact we are trying to get it set up for our office because we can't get xDSL despite being a very big customer).

The pricing will fall too - I see no reason why it will not be possible to have 512k 802.11a for less than €40/month by this time next year.

...it just can't happen fast enough for me...

Does anyone know of any competition in 802.11a ? any other start-ups in progress ?

Kevok

Originally posted by csaddict
Kevok - did you sign up in the end?

Nah not yet, when they did the first LOS, they found that although the signal was pretty strong, they need to do an SNR test (signal to noise ratio test). There are trees kind of in the way.

They're telling me they have to wait for more equipment before they test it again.

csaddict

Thanks for that, Kevok.

I'll keep an eye out for that on Friday - if they have the SNR equipment with them, I'll let you know!

The Cigarette Smoking Man

Originally posted by Muck
5. A transmitter on that tower block at Kilbarrack station.

That tower block has been leveled.

That office building in Blanchardstown that someone mentioned belongs to Dunnes Stores (I think).

Also I've heard that Esat are trying to putting some sort of wireless mast on top of the Guinness Storehouse. I think it'll be microwave rather than wi-fi though.

Xian

Originally posted by shabbyroad
I see real potential for 802.11a services around the country. As this technology gets better it will leave behind xDSL for residential use.

I tend to agree. Negroponte elaborates on his "viral network" idea in the latest Wired:

a broadband system built by the people for the people

[One of the things that makes] this peer-to-peer structure so interesting [is] its emergence and growth are viral. Viral telecommunications is a truly new, bottom-up phenomenon, where everyone builds their own and the whole is woven together into a mesh by loose agreements. In the face of a down telecom market and tight capital spending, this has further appeal.

Serbian

Hey,

Just wondering if _anyone_ has actually signed up to this crowd yet? I would be interested in signing up in a couple of months when I should be getting a new computer, and I am well within range of the DonnyBrook mast. However, all I have heard from this forum is that they are 'a very professional operation' and they are 'very helpful' etc. but no-one has said that they have signed up and they fail to turn up repeatedly for a friend in the area who wants a LOS test done.

I know they are a small startup and all that, which probably means the demand for the service makes it hard for them to keep up, but I just want to make sure the service itself is reliable before I attempt to get a LOS test done.

Thanks,

Serb

pork99

God I hope they're not some scam or fly-by-night operation

However I'm so desperate I'm prepared to take the risk

Possibly they're slow because of lack of staff & resources etc. If so, surely there must be VC out there somewhere for them considering the competitive advantages they have and the volume of sales they could do.

If they keep their promises they could really p1ss in eircom's chips.

If I can get their service I will no longer need a landline for internet and I have my mobile for phone calls, then whats the point paying line rental on something you dont use?

csaddict

They seem to be associated/affiliated with the National Toll Roads company (http://www.ntr.ie) - they're actually in the same building in Sandyford - they got the wireless licence off of them, as Dangger pointed out at the start of the thread.

Someone could correct me on this, but would I be right in thinking that this might give a little more stability than if they were setting up on their own??

I'll be asking questions about their business model (for what it's worth!) when they're LOS testing me, assuming they turn up.

It would seem that the company that runs the wireless LAN in South Africa (Megawan) that the main tech guy was involved in implementing ran into some financial problems last month, which is a mite concerning, although from reading what I could on the Net, it would seem to be management issues more than anything technical. (plus, they were looking for approx. €90 a month for a similar service, which according to a South African colleague of mine is the equivalent of asking an Irish person to spend €130 a month in terms of relative earnings.)

Still - I'll be asking about it to get a sense of comfort in this offering, because it does seem to be the best option around, if it lives up to what they've told me...

Fingers crossed.

Lex_Diamonds

Well, I spent the best part of two weeks trying to contact the people that do line tests.When I did eventually manage to speak to someone regarding testing, a vauge day and time was arranged and they never showed up.

As much as I want affordable broad band, this just smacked of incompetence. I would be afraid of getting the service from them if they cant even be bothered to show up and test a signal.

ando

I'd love to see a wireless broadband company choose howth head over 3rock for a change... north over south ???

David C

I'd love to see a wireless broadband company choose howth head over 3rock for a change

What other companies are offering wireless broadband from 3 Rock?

Living on the southside, I don't think I have any extra broadband options than you...
No los to Donnybrook or Sandyford & can't get ntl 2way but an Irish Broadband site on 3 Rock would do just the trick..
A site on Howth head would be equaly invaluable to northsiders so hopefully both will be considered..

quozl

Originally posted by Serbian
Hey,
but no-one has said that they have signed up and they fail to turn up repeatedly for a friend in the area who wants a LOS test done.

Serb

Yeah. I was badgering them for 2 weeks. But it turns out that they're moving their antennas on RTE tower from roughly 24 metres up, to 45 metres up (give or talk 5 metres This will mean they cover a much wider area, it'll also mean they get and give a lot more noise from/to dublin. I've been told that once they've moved the antennas (in a week or so), they'll start doing LOS tests again.

It's a bit disconcerting. Doesn't fill me with great confidence, but considering my only other option at the moment is getting eircom adsl, I'm gonna wait and see. If not, Leap.ie are apparently installing a mast on three rock and I'll get that service instead. I only hear good things about Leap but they're dearer than ibb,

quozl

Kevok

Weather and succesful SNR test permitting, I should have a review of the service for you tomorrow. *fingers crossed*

LizZard

The major difference between MegaWan and Irish Broadband is that the Regulator in South Africa does not have clear regulations in place as is the case in Ireland. Hence it is impossible to get funding from large corporates. All funding in SA has to be done by private individuals such as myself and others. In Ireland it is completely different and having a license for the service enables one to obtain corporate funding, as has been done in Ireland.



When I sold the business in South Africa in November 2001, it was taken over by 2 partners. They have since had a major difference of opinion, and the Regulator has now decided that they do not want to permit wireless technology to be used to deliver broadband internet access as it will erode the incumbent Telkom monopoly’s DSL market. That makes it near impossible to survive. The fact that there are still people willing to provide the service wirelessly, is a testimony to their willingness to provide a service in the face of adversity. It is hardly possible under those circumstances, plus the fact that bandwidth costs 10 times more in SA than in Ireland, to continue to make a business case of it in South Africa.



In Ireland the regulatory framework, plus the very competitive bandwidth deals that we were able to negotiate makes a compelling business case. We have sufficient investment in the company to carry it for 3 years whilst it develops, and that will ensure that Irish Broadband can survive.

Regards


Jeremy

pork99

We have sufficient investment in the company to carry it for 3 years whilst it develops

as long as I dont have to wait that long for you to come out to do a LOS test

But seriously I hope I can avail of you service. Cant wait to give that eircom rat the shove.

csaddict

Thanks for that response Lizzard. One less question for me to ask!

ugreevy

Hi,

Im new to the board but i'd just like to add my 2 cents worth about irishbroadband.

As most people here im desperate to get a broadband connection, I only found out about irishbroadband yesterday when i discovered this board.

I gave them a call and spoke to a nice guy called Paul(?). I was told that the transmitter on the rte mast was been put up to 50 metres (previously 25) b4 the end of the month and that should improve coverage and LOS. LOs inspections would start again once this work was done

I live in the Blackrock/Deansgrange area (close to the grange and baker corners pubs)if any ibb employee is reading this I'd love to know if im more or less in range......

Ugo

Gunn4r

ugreevy I live about 5 mins from your house and I too am dying to know!

raphaelS

They came for a test today, I'm just under Foxrock Church...
I failed... but they said that I will be ok with the antenna they're going to install in 2 months in Dun Laoghaire...

Raphael

LoBo

good luck with the business IrishBroadband, my only suggestion is that since you have funding now - roll out over as much as dublin as possible right now! Most folks would be wary of wireless broadband, knowing nothing about it, so it will take some sort of big push for the majority of people to go for wireless over wired broadband options (eg DSL / cable). In ireland right now you have that push: no one can get cable and DSL is priced (and ludicrously, capped) at levels that are clearly out of reach of residential users. Your offer is very competitively priced - make it available and you'll get many more customers now than you could down the line when (presumably) wired broadband becomes available and competitive for the masses.

Good luck - I like to see (badly needed) competition in this sector, and would in fact sign up if you were available in my area (dun laoghaire).

JTMan

Originally posted by Gunn4r
ugreevy I live about 5 mins from your house and I too am dying to know!

Im about 5 mins from his house as well !!

There is very little chance that we can receive it until either the Blackrock or Dun Laoighre mast is put in place. We are no where near the 3 K RTÉ Radius. I am going to wait till they put onw of those masts in place before a get the line of sight test done.

Then again, The LOS test is FREE if you want to chance you arm ... They did till me over the phone that they would do a LOS test in our area.

LoGiE

I just thought i'd ask when this wonderful service would be available to anyone not on the southside of Dublin? In particular Malahide.

csaddict

So Kevok, did you get it??

Kevok

Indeed i did.

I'm still putting it through its paces but I'll tell you all about it later (enjoying myself too much ).

I am very happy with it though.

If anyone wants to ask questions I'll answer them later if I can.

A few quick things though:

Ping to mast from Aerial: 3 - 4ms
Ping to yahoo.co.uk: 26ms
Ping to jolt (while playing quake3): avg 25 - 40

Seem to ping sub 100 constantly to UK and European Servers and sub 200 (only once reaching 160) to some US servers.

Highest download speed so far: 96k/sec.

Thats about it for now, will post again later like I said above.

csaddict

Keevok, which side of Sandyford are you?

I'm about 2.5 KM from the High Point (I've been told) but I'm down by the Stillorgan Shopping Centre (admittedly on a little hill there so I'm above everything else!) , so I'm guessing I'll fail the LOS.

After hearing your results - please give me some good news (like your my next door neighbour or something!)

Kevok

I'm up on the hill in mount merrion, I have a pretty good view of the Ind Est but there are some trees between me and the mast.

Im exactly 2.1km away from the mast (they used GPS).