# Broadband in a rural area



## cr81 (24 Feb 2011)

Hi

I live in a rural hilly area where eircom fixed line broadband is not available nor is vodafone fixed line broadband. 
We have a vodafone mobile broadband dongle but we can only get good GPRS broadband coverage which is about the same as dial-up. We also tried the 3 national broadband scheme who claimed they could guarantee broadband everywhere in the country but that didn't work either.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can get any sort of broadband via a dish etc. 

Thanks


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## chook (24 Feb 2011)

We are in the same boat. Have been with what is now www.ripplecom.net for a number of years (started as IFA broadband and went through a few hands). It's a line-of-sight signal. We have a booster dish as we are some distance from the mast. Very happy with it. We are getting 1Meg up and down but it's better in some areas and beggars can't be choosers. It was a quantum leap from eircom landline connection. I just saw on checking the address that they are going to introduce an 8 meg service soon. Yeah.
It's not cheap but there are no limits to upload/download so you don't have to worry about extra charges if you are a heavy user (I am as I need it for work). 
Worth checking out IMHO. Best of luck.


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## cr81 (24 Feb 2011)

Will do - thanks!


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## Satanta (25 Feb 2011)

What area (roughly) are you in?

There are quite a number of local schemes (e.g. www.westnet.ie here in Mayo) that produce great results with fixed wireless broadband. Very much 'local' solutions though, that depend on line of sight to a local repeater, so the performance you'd get will depend on your specific location and the providers available on your general location.


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## mercman (25 Feb 2011)

Three (3) the mobile phone company hold a Government contract to provide full broadband services to rural areas. They are bound by law to provide full broadband service to those that live in rural areas. Contact them and tell them you want Broadband.


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## chook (25 Feb 2011)

Didn't know that about "3" but even if our area was covered it probably would not work for us as we are in an old stone cottage with 2 feet thick stone walls and barely a mobile signal in the house. Friends of mine are in the same situation. 3 does not work for them even though the area per se is covered. 
The only trouble with ripplecom is that you have to be able to establish line of sight. If there is a mountain in the way you are in trouble. Dito with large trees  in wet weather blocking the path.


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## bluemac (25 Feb 2011)

I am in the same situation we use NET1.IE through a radio/dish that goes about 18km got to say they are great I just speed tested it i get 6.73MB download and 7.73MB upload... thats got to be about the best speeds you can get in Ireland by far..  I have had these speeds for 3 years

I have no relation to the company


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## cr81 (25 Feb 2011)

I am living outside nenagh and we have tried 3 broadband but it didnt work and did not give good service and we had very bad experience with their customer/service support. very frustrating.

I will look into that net1.ie. It sounds great. Ripplecom.net are not serving us just at the moment. There is lots of hills in our way!

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Following alot of yoga and a career in same, I think lack of broadband/bad internet service is one of the few things which still makes me curse!


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## allthedoyles (26 Feb 2011)

Have you tried the Huawei B260A router from three.ie .

It is been given good reviews , . We are going for it soon with 14 day trial

But of course , we don't live in a rural area .


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