What is SIRO broadband?
SIRO is a joint venture from the ESB and Vodafone that uses the existing electricity network to provide 100% fibre broadband.
The technology is known as ‘Fibre to the Home’ (FTTH) or ‘Fibre to the Premises’ and can deliver download and upload speeds of up to 1,000Mbps - or 1 gigabit - known as ‘lightning speed’.
Gigabit broadband providers in Ireland
At the moment, gigabit broadband is only available from a few providers in Ireland. You can’t buy products directly from SIRO, but many providers have signed contracts with SIRO so they’ll be able to offer FTTH packages to customers.
Digiweb has a range of ‘Electric Broadband’ plans, which are powered by SIRO, and Vodafone has a SIRO-powered Gigabit Broadband Experience plan, as well as a 150Mbps and 300Mbps FTTH plan.
Other providers who have signed agreements with SIRO include Sky, Rocket Broadband, Westnet, Kerry Broadband, Carnsore Broadband and Airwire.
Meanwhile, eir also has some 1,000Mbps plans available, which run on the open eir network.
What are the best SIRO-powered broadband plans?
The best broadband plan for you will depend completely on your needs. If you have your heart set on a 1Gbps plan, then one option could be the Premium Speed plan from Pure Telecom.
Meanwhile, if you currently have slow broadband and regular fibre plans are not available where you live yet, you might be happy with a 150Mbps plan - this will deliver speeds that are more than sufficient for the vast majority of internet-users.
If you’re looking for the cheapest SIRO-powered plan, check out the Sky Broadband Ultrafast Plus & Talk Freetime package from Sky, which comes in at €30 for the first 12 months, and €85 thereafter.
Why choose SIRO-powered broadband?
The main advantage of gigabit broadband is obviously the speed, which is much higher than other plans available on the market. With 1,000Mbps broadband you can:
download a HD movie in under a minute; play games online smoothly, with no lag; and stream content with no issues.
Is SIRO broadband available nationwide? Is it in my area?
SIRO-powered broadband plans are not yet available available nationwide. At the moment, broadband plans and packages powered by SIRO are available in the towns of Carlow, Cavan, Ennis, Carrigaline, Mallow, Skibbereen, Ballbriggan, Swords, Letterkenny, Finglas, Tyrrelstown, Leopardstown, Tralee, Naas, Newbridge, Sallins, Kilkenny, Portlaoise, Limerick, Drogheda, Dundalk, Castlebar, Westport, Sligo, Athlone, Mullingar, and Wexford.
What if I can’t get gigabit broadband yet?
If you can’t get SIRO or another gigabit plan where you live just yet, don’t worry - there are plenty of alternatives out there that can still provide fast, reliable broadband, for example:
- Fibre broadband plans from the likes of Digiweb, eir, Pure Telecom, Sky and Vodafone, with speeds of up to 100Mbps. Or, you could opt for a Virgin Media package - speeds of up to 360Mbps are available.
- ADSL broadband, which can provide a reliable connection, with speeds up to 24Mbps, via your phone line.
- Satellite broadband, which is set up in a household through the installation of a satellite dish; and
- Mobile Broadband, which provides internet access through a mobile phone signal via mobile dongles and 4G SIMs.
The exact package and type of broadband you can get will depend on where you live, so the best bet would be to compare broadband deals in your area in order to find the package that suits you best.