Best fibre broadband in Ireland

What is fibre broadband?

Fibre broadband delivers high-speed broadband to your home using a network of fibre-optic cables.

Access to fibre broadband in Ireland has become much more widespread and affordable in the last few years, with all 26 counties connected to a fibre network.

It’s the fastest broadband connection available in Ireland, with one provider now delivering speeds of up to 5Gbps (5 gigabits) on their network.

Many of the larger Irish providers offer fibre broadband speeds up to 2Gbps across Ireland’s networks.

Why choose fibre broadband?

The main advantages of fibre broadband are fast speeds, reliability and quality of the internet connection.

You may want to consider superfast fibre broadband if you:

• have a large household with many devices connected at the same time
• stream movies and TV or use catch-up services
• work from home and need reliable, fast access to the internet
• play online games

How does full fibre broadband work?

It uses fibre optic cables, which run underground, to deliver superfast broadband to homes and businesses.

These fibre cables transmit data faster than copper wires, boosting broadband speed. There are two main types of fibre broadband connection:

1. Fibre to the Home (FTTH) also known as “full-fibre”, is the fastest type of fibre connection. It delivers fibre directly into your home via fibre-optic cables giving speeds of up to 5Gbps in some areas.
2. Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) also called “part-fibre.” It delivers broadband via fibre cables to your nearest cabinet or exchange, which reaches your home via older copper cables. This slows the connection down, so FTTC connections are not as fast as FTTH.

How fast is fibre broadband in Ireland?

The fastest fibre deals advertised in Ireland are 5Gbps (5 gigabits).

All fibre providers, including Digiweb, eir, Pure Telecom, Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone offer superfast broadband, but availability depends on where you live and whether full fibre broadband to the home has rolled out in your area.

Providers often advertise the ‘Up to’ speeds, but the actual speed you get depends on whether or not you have an FTTH or FTTC connection. For instance, if you get a part fibre connection (FTTC) your distance from the exchange will also affect the speeds available.

Advertised speeds offered for full fibre broadband include 500Mb, 1Gbps, 2Gbps and 5Gbps broadband deals.

Though speeds of up to 100Mbps are usually fast enough for the average household, many opt for faster fibre deals for peace of mind and lightning-fast speeds when working from home or streaming.

Which broadband providers offer fibre broadband?

There are six main fibre broadband providers in Ireland.

• Digiweb
• eir
• Pure Telecom
• Sky
• Virgin Media
• Vodafone

Where is fibre broadband available?

Fibre broadband availability depends on several factors, including where you live and the providers operating in your area.

Most towns and urban areas are served by at least one major provider offering full or part fibre broadband. However, despite national and regional initiatives, some rural areas still lack access to fibre broadband.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aim to remedy this by working with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to roll out full-fibre broadband to over 565,000 premises in rural Ireland.

The best way to find out what’s available near you is to use our broadband checker. Select your county and town to compare all the providers in your area or read our guide on how to check broadband availability in your area to learn more.

Find fibre broadband near me

Can’t get superfast fibre optic broadband in your area?

If you live in a remote location and SIRO or other fibre networks aren’t available near you there are plenty of other ways to get connected.

Here’s some other types of broadband:

• ADSL broadband is a slower, older but reliable connection with speeds up to 24Mbps
• Satellite broadband ideal for rural areas without a phone line
• Mobile broadband internet access via a 4G or 5G mobile phone network

What is SIRO?

SIRO broadband is a joint venture from the ESB and Vodafone that’s bringing 100% fibre broadband to homes in Ireland using the existing electricity network.

SIRO is focused on delivering high-speed connections to all homes and businesses on its network. You can’t buy directly from SIRO, but many providers offer plans using the SIRO network.

Although the SIRO network is continually growing, SIRO broadband plans are not yet available nationwide. You can check where it’s available and which counties are in the planned fibre rollout at siro.ie.

Who is the best fibre broadband provider?

The best provider is not always the cheapest broadband provider.

Before signing up for a new network, consider your household needs; for instance, do you stream lots of TV, work from home or just occasionally surf?

The best broadband service for you depends on several different factors, such as:

• broadband connections available in your area
• whether you’re a heavy or light broadband user
• if you want broadband only or a TV package
• what you can afford to spend each month
• whether you intend to move in the next couple of years

Is fibre broadband worth it?

Fibre optic broadband is faster and more reliable than other broadband connections, so it’s one of Ireland’s best types of broadband.

This is because it uses fibre cables rather than a phone line or other more unreliable technology. You’re likely to get the best broadband speeds with fibre broadband.

There are other broadband connection types that may suit you better if you only use the internet occasionally or fibre isn’t available where you live due to a rural location.

Is fibre broadband more expensive?

Fibre broadband can be slightly more expensive than other connection types, but it’s becoming more affordable.

Work out your budget and pick a plan that doesn’t stretch you financially. Introductory prices are often much cheaper than the price you’ll pay thereafter, so don’t forget to check what you’ll pay after your discount has ended.

Can you get fibre broadband without a phone line?

Fibre to the home broadband is not reliant on phone lines, so you won’t need one for full fibre broadband.

Part fibre or FTTC still depends on a copper home phone line to connect, but you don’t have to pay extra for a call plan if you don’t want to.