Best fibre broadband in Ireland

What is fibre broadband?

Fibre optic broadband delivers superfast broadband to your home using a network of fibre-optic cables. It’s the fastest broadband connection available in Ireland, delivering speeds of up to 1,000Mbps.

Who is the best fibre broadband provider?

There are 6 main fibre broadband providers in Ireland:

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

The best provider is not always the cheapest broadband provider so you’ll need to consider other factors. The best choice of broadband for you depends on:

• the type of broadband available in your area
• your household needs and internet use
• what you can afford to spend each month

Where is fibre broadband available?

Getting fibre broadband depends on a number of factors, including where you live and which providers operate in your area.

Select your county and town using our broadband checker to find out what’s available near you.

Broadband where I live

You could also read our guide on how to check broadband availability in your area. to find out more.

How does fibre optic broadband work?

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

These fibre optic cables transmit data faster, hence the boost in broadband speed. There are two main types of fibre broadband connection:

1. Fibre-to the-Home (FTTH)/ Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) is the fastest type of fibre connection. It delivers fibre directly into your home via fibre-optic cables giving speeds of up to 1,000Mbps.

2. Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC), or part-fibre is more common throughout Ireland. It delivers the fibre connection via fibre optic cables to your nearest cabinet or exchange, and from there to your home it’s delivered via older copper cables. This slows the connection down, meaning that FTTC connections are slower than FTTH.

Is fibre better than broadband?

Yes, fibre optic broadband is faster and more reliable than standard broadband connections like ADSL internet because it uses fibre optic cables rather than a phone line.

There are other broadband connection types that may suit you better though. For example, if fibre isn’t available where you live due to a rural location, here are some rural broadband options in Ireland.

Is fibre broadband more expensive?

Yes, fibre broadband can be more expensive than other broadband technology, but a fibre connection will be much faster and more reliable.

Work out your budget and pick a plan that’s within it, both during the offer period and beyond.

Can you get fibre broadband without a phone line?

Full fibre broadband is not reliant on phone lines, so you won’t need one installed to get fibre installed in your home.

However, if you want to make and receive calls on your landline you can opt for a package that includes a home phone talk plan.

How fast is fibre broadband in Ireland?

Currently, the fastest fibre deals advertised in Ireland are 1,000Mbps or 1GB.

All fibre broadband providers including Sky, Vodafone, Digiweb, Pure Telecom and eir offer superfast speeds of up to 1000Mbps but availability depends on where you live and whether SIRO has been rolled out in your area.

What actual speeds will you get?

Providers advertise ‘up to’ speeds, but the actual speed you get will depend on whether or not you have a FTTH or FTTC connection. Your distance from the exchange will also affect the upper speed you can get if you are planning to get part fibre.

Speeds of up to 100Mbps are usually fast enough for the average household.

What is SIRO?

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

SIRO-powered broadband plans are not yet available nationwide, but the SIRO rollout is growing all the time. You can check where it’s available and which counties are in the planned rollout at siro.ie.

Our guide: SIRO broadband explained tells you all you need to know about how it works and where you can get it.

Compare superfast broadband plans

Why choose 1GB or SIRO-powered broadband?

The main advantage of SIRO or full fibre broadband is the speed, which is much higher than other plans available on the market. With 1,000Mbps broadband you can:

You may want to consider superfast broadband if you:

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

What if you can’t get superfast fibre broadband in your area?

If you can’t get SIRO or another 1GB plan where you live now, there are plenty of other alternatives for fast, reliable broadband. Find out more about other broadband options in Ireland here:

• ADSL broadband a reliable connection, with speeds up to 24Mbps
• Satellite broadband ideal for rural areas without a phone line
• Mobile & wireless broadband internet access via a mobile phone signal using a dongle or SIM card.

The broadband plans and types of broadband connection will depend on where you live, so try our free broadband checker to compare broadband deals in your area.