National Broadband Ireland : implementation and progress

Getting FTTH installed Friday thank God. I ended up going with sky as I'm already with them and I have my own router set up etc so that doesn't come into it.

BUT I've a bit of an odd issue. When I check sky with my eircode (while not logged in as an existing customer) it tells me I can order the ultrafast broadband FTTH (yay). The problem is when I log in to sky it tells me it's not available offering only the basic package I'm already on.

I ordered FTTH through sky without logging in but I think sky are under the impression I'm a new customer rather than a current customer even though I've the same address and eircode etc. Has anyone had anything like this before?

I'm afraid they'll try charge me twice when it's set up for two different subs. I rang sky about this last week and they literally didn't have a clue what I was on about. Kept telling me I couldn't get FTTH yet that they'd contact me when it's available when I told them I'd already pre-ordered they told me that was impossible.

Very odd situation but I want to get the fibre installed first and then try get this sorted. Any advice?

I hope you don't mind me asking you one or two questions. KN are coming this week to erect new poles to bring the fiber cable to my house. They have them marked but the last pole is marked at the end of my wall. I want it brought through the duct I to my etu. Did they consultation with you when bringing cable in or is cable only brought in when they come the following week for my installation date is booked? Also I want it brought through attic and was thinking of leave the ont in attic running Ethernet cable from ont in attic to the landing directly below it where I want my router left. But I was told it could be dangerous leaving ont in attic as it gets very hot during summer months etc? Also I would need about 3m or so Ethernet cable to go from ont in attic to router would I need to supplier that?

Pretty sure someone else on this thread had a similar issue. I think they rang sky to resolve but I cant remember.

That's exactly what I think is going on but sky assured me I couldn't get FTTH at this time and yet it's being installed through preorder with sky on Friday (the conversation literally made no sense). In terms of my current order I'm thinking I just let it get installed then sort out the billing afterwards. I'm afraid that by ringing sky and speaking to someone competent they cancel my install Friday as it's "not available" for existing customers even though it is as a new customer. Again this doesn't make sense to me.

If worse case scenario I'm charged double for broadband next month I can live with that but I'll go mad if my calling them again leaves me waiting x number of months for install. What's a man to do?

Thanks @BArra I did that exact thing as a test with eir and it says I can order 1gb FTTH so hopefully it can be sorted easily enough.

We got this in our letterbox the other day. Are they being sent to everyone regardless, or could it mean we might see some movement soon? We are survey complete on the website (Expected Jan-Jun 2024). We were surveyed in April 2021.

There is nothing interesting in it other than it is a physical NBI artefact.

The booklet was dropped in here earlier this afternoon, our rollout date is 2025/26.

Denis Naughten dropped an unofficial hint that it will be 2028 before it all gets done:

See that comment, and the few after it.

I recently got Starlink to at least test it within the 30 day return period as it's the only alternative we have to our "high speed" 14Mbps Eir broadband. I'm not sure is anyone here in a similar situation in regard to NBI but they have installed their infrastructure on our cul-de-sac road but are only supplying two houses as the rest of us were initially deemed to be able to receive speeds of 30Mbps or more from comercial operators. Those two premises are now ready to connect.

Over the last year I have been emailing the broadband department over and back and have basically got nowhere with them. They are basically saying they can't intervene in areas where commercial operators have planned future upgrades (Open Eir in our case) even though they are already providing their service to the majority of houses in our village. Open Eir have also planned to provide FTTH to premises in our village, including the ones who are also eligible for NBI. When I emailed Open Eir, they were unable to provide a time frame as to when we might get FTTH and questioned whether or not I was in contact with NBI about the situation. NBI suggested I contact Open Eir about the issue. The worst part of the whole situation is of course the fact that the NBI network is already in place outside our gate.

As suggested by others here in this thread previously, I also tried to email and call our relative broadband officer in the council but didn't get any responses there at all.

In regard to the Starlink, the speeds are fine but it's the latency and inconsistency that is the issue for someone who games competitively. If I wasn't gaming, the Starlink would be ideal as it's a huge jump in terms of speed compared to our Eir connection but the inconsistent latency and packet loss in games is what kills it for gaming. Sometimes the ping in-game is fine but it doesn't consistently stay good enough. I do, however, have yet to test it with a gaming router and a wired connection to the PC to see if that improves things but I can't see the difference being good enough to make it a viable option.

My kids game on starlink without problems on 1st person shooters. They don't play competitively but are on a high level. They would notice ping on our last 4g internet. Changing from wifi to wired will help for sure. Make sure dish is high enough or definitely avoid any obstructions.

When I first set starlink up we had packet loss and high ping spikes. But I think poplar trees outside forestery here we're causing it. Even though not showing in starlink obstruction app. I increased height and I can't remember a single packet loss or lag spike since then, other than heavy rain.

you might get ping of 5ms locally but in ireland prob your closest game server for most games is London. I took a ping test to london. I ran 4 tests just now in light rain and it peaked at 57ms. This is fairly consistant to what we get ingame (around the 40ms). I see plenty of pro gamers playing with this ping or even higher. It does fluctaute but isnt spiking. That is by no means teriible latency. Its prob not fair to compare fibre to starlink but id be curious to know what ftth and/or fttc ping tests are to london.

Unfortunately Starlink isn't cut out for online gaming.

I've tested this across a number of games, most with connection monitoring built into games. Latency is way way above what you would find in a FTTH connection. I would never recommend Starlink to anyone whose primarily interested in using it for competitive online play.

Its to be expected though.

Hi guys,

Small query if anyone can give me a steer.

Im due for connection tomorrow, in advance of connection I have over the last few Saturdays done all the donkey work for the install crew. Unblocked the ducting, made a few repairs and I’ve even roped the entire duct for them as it’s a long cable pull. Part of the donkey work involved excavating a hole to expose a junction where ducts meet where the original builder should have put a chamber/manhole but didn’t bother his backside. The excavation is still open and I need a manhole put there now in case of any future issues. It’s my understanding that I’ve went above and beyond by doing all the prep work for them and making the install handy for them and that this is strictly part of their works, so my question is will NBI/KN build this manhole for me and if they say it’s not part of their scope is there anything I can say to get them to do it ?

Am I entitled to have this manhole built ?

Any advice appreciated

Thank you.

I had a similar problem with the junction duct being buried. K & N civil crew put in a manhole cover but they had to be told by Open Air to do it. The K & N installation crew will not do this. If they can't install fibre they will make a report & the work will be done by a civil crew.

It delayed my installation by 11 months because they made a complete mess of the process.

I guess I was just unlucky.

It’s an unusual set up as my brother and I share the same incoming 50mm duct and where his personal duct meets mine at a T junction there was no proper access chamber left for access, so now we have a big hole on our private lane where we had to expose the meeting points of the ducts. If something doesn’t go there now myself and the providers would never be able to pull in a new cable in the future if ever required. It’s something I could do myself but it probably needs a manhole as opposed to an AJ as the ducts are down a significant depth of about one metre. I’ll probably have to chance my arm to see if they will do it for me.