Press release from eircom. 100 more exchanges to be enabled. Wimax in 5 urban areas to address line failures on existing exchanges and Setanta sports for all eircom broadband customers.
120k more people to get broadband through the upgrading of 100 exchanges and roll-out of WiMax. Free Setanta Sports via broadband for all eircom customers too.
An additional 100 telephone exchanges in communities across the country will be DSL enabled. The exchanges are located in all 26 counties and this further investment will be completed during 2007.
Furthermore, eircom is committing to take all broadband orders placed within the five urban centres of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway. In total, 120,000 extra telephone lines will now be able to support broadband due to these initiatives.
To help achieve this target, eircom will commence the rollout of WiMax technology during 2007 to overcome difficulties that arise when providing broadband over some telephone lines. WiMax will be used to supplement existing DSL service in these five major urban centres. The introduction of WiMax will ensure all potential customers will be able to receive broadband. Today’s announcement follows extensive WiMax trials that have been conducted by eircom in locations across Ireland during the past year.
I’m off to find out more information.
Update:
Wimax is only available after you place a “broadband” order with eircom. Rollout from Jan 2007. You can’t apply directly for this product. There will be an install fee. Prices will be same as DSL. Speeds not announced yet. Setanta is available to existing and new customers from Jan 2007.
List of Exchanges to be enabled in next year:
Cavan
Kilnaleck
Mullagh
Killeshandra
Clare
Clonlara
Tiermaclane
Milltown Abbey
Cork
Whitegate
Castlemartyr
Leap
Cloyne
Balineen
Ballyclough
Kildorrery
Ballygarvan
Timoleague
Ballinaclashet
Kilworth
Doneraile
Lombardstown
Donegal
Raphoe
Carrigart
Convoy
Mountcharles
Muff
Fahan
Greencastle
Quigleys Point
Kilmacrenan
Killygordon
Dublin
Garristown
Galway
Turloughmore
Dunmore
Rosscahill
Monivea
Kinvara
Kerry
Lixnau
Kildare
Carbury
Nurney
Kilkenny
Kilmacow
Knocktopher
Goresbridge
Mullinavat
Freshford
Letterkenny
Manorcunningham
Limerick
Rathkeale
Patrickswell
Pallaskenry
Cratloe
Cappamore
Glin
Laois
Rathdowney
Durrow
Ballylinan
Longford
Ballymahon
Mayo
Balla
Kilkelly
Louisburgh
Ballindine
Shrule
Newport
Charlestown
Meath
Summerhill
Wilkinstown
Julianstown
Nobber
Balrath
Monaghan
Inniskeen
Offaly
Rhode
Kilcormac
Portlaoise
Ballybrittas
Roscommon
Frenchpark
Sligo
Castlegarren
Cliffony
Tipperary
Kilsheelin
Borrisoleigh
Dundrum
Ardfinnan
Newcastle
Wicklow
Roundwood
Glendalough
Dunlavin
Wexford
Ferns
Ballynabola
Camolin
Killurin
Fethard
Castlebridge
Ballywilliam
Broadway
Killinick
Duncormick
Westmeath
Killucan
Castlepollard
Tyrrellspass
Waterford
Annestown
Ardmore
Aglish
Will that 120,000 bring us up to European standard or will we still be lagging?
Line failure rate for these new exchanges I’d be quite interested in.
WTF theres a palced called Broadway in Wexford, whod’a thunk it
My local exchange got upgraded recently and my line failed. Let’s get that wi-max rolled out.
I am living 200m off the main N2 north of Carrickmacross. Hardly the wilderness but my local exchange is not on the list. Despite numerous emails to eircom I cannot even get a reply as to when if ever our area will get broadband. I am like thousands of others who are totally pissed off at Eircom and their poor to non existant service. But it appears there is NOTHING I can do. Eircon suggests on their website that I try satelite. Huge cost and miserable upload and download,
So they bring Wimax mostly to areas that already have a reasonable broadband penetration.
Looks like a lot of posturing to me…
E.
yipee ballygarvan on the “real”broadband map, fingers crossed
Interesting.
Ballinaclashet is my local exchange. Distance could be a factor, but I’m tempted to remove the remove the throttle on my broadband! 🙂
How’s Damien?
What’s the selection process for deciding which exchanges get enabled? How long are the rest of us going to have to wait?
dave phelan:
The problem with Sattelite is not just one of miserable speed, but it is also extremely high in latency factors. Even simple web browsing can be hobbled depending on how high their latency is; let alone email/work applications/games/etc. Downloading huge files, if you have a good download manager, should be ok for the most part.
People beware. Always check what the company backlink is (in other words, how they provide broadband to your area); if there is sattelite in even one remote section of this plan as a live part of the link, or even often used backup; steer clear.
That Sattelite operators (and their cousins that use sattelite as a main link between themselves and the main fiber ring)can even use the name Broadband in their sales brochure should be a jailable offence.
[…] To be quite honest I am guessing your on one of the ASAM’s that are overbooked. We have a growing number of customers who are getting int./no synch issues in relation to oversubscribed exchanges. Now this is not really news as Eircom has been aware of this for some time, and only recently have they released a List of new stations around ireland to help relieve the congestion (Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » eircom to enable another 100 exchanges, 120k more people can avail of broadband) because that is what it really is, as you say, you come home in the evening and jump on and get lower bandwidth than say in the morning. I partly blame the sales staff as they are just throwing anything and everything to the public to get the almight euro and sign up new customers, and couldnt give a damn to the rest of us who have to shoulder the weight of new people taking away the bandwidth. So to sum up, no you havent done anything wrong and I doubt your equipment is in any way faulty, its just a matter of to many people in your area. Hopefuly this will be resolved but I cant give you a date or time. If it gets any worse I would suggest changing to a new ISP, even though you would be jumpered in the same exchange, Eircom provide racks/ports for other ISP to rent and perhaps they can suit your needs better as they are on a seperate line(so to speak) and dont compete with eircom customers. […]
[…] Originally Posted by RoninIV To be quite honest I am guessing your on one of the ASAM’s that are overbooked. We have a growing number of customers who are getting int./no synch issues in relation to oversubscribed exchanges. Now this is not really news as Eircom has been aware of this for some time, and only recently have they released a List of new stations around ireland to help relieve the congestion (Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » eircom to enable another 100 exchanges, 120k more people can avail of broadband) because that is what it really is, as you say, you come home in the evening and jump on and get lower bandwidth than say in the morning. I partly blame the sales staff as they are just throwing anything and everything to the public to get the almight euro and sign up new customers, and couldnt give a damn to the rest of us who have to shoulder the weight of new people taking away the bandwidth. So to sum up, no you havent done anything wrong and I doubt your equipment is in any way faulty, its just a matter of to many people in your area. Hopefuly this will be resolved but I cant give you a date or time. If it gets any worse I would suggest changing to a new ISP, even though you would be jumpered in the same exchange, Eircom provide racks/ports for other ISP to rent and perhaps they can suit your needs better as they are on a seperate line(so to speak) and dont compete with eircom customers. I know it’s frustrating but keep pushing BT TS, eventually they’ll have to address your problems. BTW if you reach a reasonable TS bod at any stage get their name, you can ask for that agent in future calls. Howfast __________________ They say if you play a Microsoft CD backwards you hear satanic messages. That’s nothing. If you play it forwards, it installs Windows ! […]
Does anyone know the schedule for the promised 100 new enables – im interested in Kilworth
what department in eircom would be able to give us a date/time for a particular exchange to be upgraded
EIRCOM TO UPGRADE ARDFINNAN GOOD NEWS ,BUT WILL PROBERLY TAKE FOREVER LIKE THEIR DIAL UP SPEED AT PRESENT
Still waiting here in Mountcharles, it Has been promised to be switched on before St.Patricks’s Day and that was 3 years ago weird thing is broadband is available along the main road N56 Donegal town, Inver , Dunkinelly, Killybegs since early last year all except our village. would like to have some date to look forward to our exchange to be enabled
[…] eircom have announced that they are to upgrade another 319 exchanges in Ireland. They have not given a timeframe for when these will happen though. They previously announced they were upgrading another 100 exchanges this year. Again, no news when this year they’ll be enabled. This will bring the number of exchanges to 900 or so that will be getting broadband which is about 96% of working lines. It still doesn’t mean every line connected can handle broadband because some lines are really poor in standard but 450 more exchanges are now going to be enabled under new eircom compared to old eircom. This is a very positive move and I’d glad to see them once again say that the demand excuse was bullshit. Enabling another 450 exchanges shows it to be the case. Let us hope they give the missing 4% plus those who have crap copper some kind of wireless service to make up for this. […]
i still cant get a commitment from eircom (or anyone who knows for that matter) for when the exchanges on the list are been enabled. I can only assume, that if no-one knows what the plan is to deliver this commitment, then it wont be delivered !
I am moving to Rhode in Offaly and require broadband for work, so i called eircom and they told me the local exchange is due to be upgraded in September 2007. but the lady i was talking to also pointed out that delays are quite likely. so unfortunately for me i am going to have to get satellite broadband.
My family are considering moving from London to the Letterkenny region but one of the requirements is that I have a reliable broadband connection in order that I can continue my current employment.
We have been trying to find a way of tracking down the areas that are covered but without too much joy. Do you know anywhere that can show where the exchanges are and what area it covers for broadband?
Any help would be much appreciated.
A rough way of doing it is to go onto eircom site and enter a number you know in the different areas. You could even use a shop number obtained from phone book if you have no other contacts.
I just rang Eircom, about the Nurney exchange being upgraded, they are now saying that it will be after 2009! Am I dreaming? The last time I rang them they said it would be before Christmas and that I shouldn’t disconnect the phone line. Anyone know anything about kildare and Nurney area?
Re Knocktopher Co. Kilkenny. Eircom tech guy(admitedly after a few beers )suggested Dec 07 for us. However Eircom claim March 08 more likely. Views please!!!!!!
We moved from Dublin to Clara, Co Offaly in July. I told UTV, my ISP for the past 4 years or so, and they said there was no problem, ADSL would be ready for me when we moved in. In fact, we didn’t even have a line until mid October & it took until the last day of the month to get ADSL working !!! UTV blamed Eircom & all Eircom had to say about it was that my account was with UTV so it was nothing to do with them.
It also turns out that we are only able to get 1Mb download (I had 3Mb in Dublin) & that drops quite frequently. I am of the same opinion as somebody who posted in this thread earlier, Eircom’s WiFi does seem to be posturing … they are supplying it locally in Tullamore, but Tullamore is already covered by Ice and Clearwire, we are 10 miles down the road and can’t get any of them !!! This country is a joke when it comes to Broadband coverage !!!
I am contemplating going back to Eircom from UTV, which looks like it will cost a bit more, but I will avail of the free Setanta & that will save me €18, my monthly Setanta subscription, that’s the main reason (plus UTV have pissed me off and I don’t think they deserve my money, that’s another !!!). However, the Eircom explanation on their web site as to what you get with their Setanta package is pathetic, so I can only guess that this is not all it’s hyped up to be either … for instance, there is no details as to whether I will always be able to see the live Premier League & CL football games when they are on or not … if I can’t, it’s no good to me, it’s typical of the crap that Eircom dish out and I’m sorry about the rant, but it’s all so frustrating !!!
All sounds great but all they are doing is providing broadband to new customers. They need to be upgrading lines throughout the country to allow a solid service to exisiting customers. I am rural and blessed with good speeds offpeak I can get 114kbs with my 1mbs package – fastest available to me. But stick more people on exchanges, using the same backbones and it will slow everyone down. It’s like one technical manager of some company, i forget who, said in the uk about broadband been taken up so fast that the infrastructure will be saturated and the service will be poor. I also hate the disguting lack of competitors in Ireland and the resulting monopoly on prices. Eircom charge 49.99 a month for a 3mb package, in the UK with virgin or sky you pay £24 a month and get your phone line, tv package and 16MB broadband with fantastic contention ratios! I have seen download speeds with sky 16mb at 1000kbs peak times!
Could someone help me out here please, I have been trying to get broadband for the past four and a half years, and also trying to get an answer from Eircom for the same amount of time. I live roughly half way between two villages (about 3 miles either way) that both have fixed line broadband (DSL ?) up and running. Now, I’m trying to find out if the phone line that goes to my house is capable of carrying broadband, which if it is, should (hopefully) mean that at some point I will be able to get broadband. About 3 or 4 months ago, Eircom replaced the phone line to my house and also all along the road, down to the main road that connects the two villages together. So logic tells me that if I now have the same type of phone line as the two villages have, I should be able to get broadband. Is there a way to physically/visually identify a phoneline that is broadband capable/enabled? The new phone line that was put in is much thicker than the old one (maybe 15mm diameter) and also I noticed that they fitted a piece of equipment to the pole that looks like some kind of electrical gismo, it’s roughly about the size and shape of an aerosoll can and is black in colour (I have also seen these things white in colour) and this gismo thingy has the new cable going in and coming out. Someone told me it is called a “Node” ??? Would this be an indication of broadband capability? I would really appreciate it if someone can give me a clue as to what these “Node” things are, what there purpose is, are they something to do with broadband etc. I asked the Eircom guys who were fitting these things what they were, but these guys were about as helpfull as a broken leg. I’ve tried contacting Eircom to find out more, but to be honest, my cat would be more helpfull than Eircom. I need to find out about the broadband situation asap, because unless I can get broadband soon, I will have no choice but to move to an area that does has broadband, due to the fact that I’m involved in Naval research and the internet is vital for my research, and I really dont want to have to move house, so anything you can come up with would be great, thanks in advance, Aidan.
So great the list shows my exchange has been enabled and my neighbours are getting connected. When I do the eircom test they say my line is not compatible and won’t/can’t explain why.
Does anybody know how to get an answer from this buch of …..
thanks
i was on to eircom november 2008 nna was told i would have broadband by the end of december 2008 phoned them in january 2009 and was told it will be another 9 to 12 months i think it just wateing game with eircom