Eir has launched 5G broadband across the country. The service is being launched in some rural areas that do not have access to fibre broadband or other forms of high-speed options.
The service won’t need an aerial or external dish, but will use Eir’s latest 5G mobile network.
The operator says that its 5G network covers 57pc of the population. However, in a break with how 3G and 4G mobile networks were rolled out, it has included a number of sparsely-populated rural areas in the first rollout wave. Large swathes of Connacht and the Border counties are among the 5G coverage areas.
“In areas where fibre broadband is not yet available, this product can provide a real alternative,” said Susan Brady, Eir’s managing director of consumer and small business.
“It is a solution for homes and businesses that cannot yet access high speed wired broadband.”
Depending on distance from the nearest mast, the new service will support speeds of up to 500Mbs, but may also deliver speeds of under 50Mbs, dropping to 4G in some places.
Eir, headed by Carolan Lennon, says it will have an unlimited monthly data cap, but said customers who make excessive use of the service may have speeds limited.
The 5G service can be used by up to 20 computers, phones, TVs and other devices at the same time.
It can be brought on holidays, connecting to a 4G or 5G signal wherever it detects one.
The package is only available as a billpay service at €45 per month, with an additional one-off charge of €100 for the subsidised 5G router.
Eir claims to have the largest 5G network by population coverage in the country, ahead of Three (50pc coverage) and Vodafone (under 50pc coverage). However, it is using ‘shared’ spectrum for 4G and 5G. Rivals such as Three use dedicated 1800Mhz spectrum.
Network coverage claims cannot be thoroughly checked as they are only partially validated by Ireland’s telecoms regulator.
Eir’s move comes as it continues to build out fibre broadband in cities and large towns. The operator plans to switch its main fixed line business over to fibre in the next three years.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s National Broadband Plan is currently building in rural areas of Cavan, Cork, Limerick, Clare, Kerry and Monaghan. The state-backed service will offer a guaranteed 500Mbs service for around €45 per month.
