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Home Broadband with Talk Off-PeakBroadband and International Mobile360Mb Broadband & World TalkTotal Broadband Bundle100Mb Broadband with TV & Calls500Mb Broadband & World Unlimited Talk1Gb Broadband & World Unlimited TalkWhat is unlimited broadband?
Some broadband providers may limit how much you can download each month, but with unlimited broadband packages, there are no caps, which means you don’t need to worry about how much you use the internet.
Unlimited broadband plans are ideal for:
- streaming movies & TV
- playing games online
- downloading films & music
- working from home
Is unlimited broadband really unlimited?
No, not all broadband is genuinely unlimited. Some unlimited plans cap the amount you can download at certain times of the day or decrease your download speed during peak hours. If you exceed your limit you may incur a fee or a slower speed.
It’s important to read the small print as a provider’s traffic management and fair usage policies may affect your download speeds and the amount of data you can download.
It used to be quite common to find a fair usage policy or download cap buried in the terms and conditions, but that’s happening less and many providers now offer ‘truly unlimited’ broadband plans.
What does ‘truly unlimited’ broadband mean?
‘Truly unlimited’ means that there are no data caps, download limits or fair usage policies in place.
This means that no matter what you use the internet for or what time of day you are using broadband, your provider is committed to giving you the speed you are paying for at all times.
Will I get faster broadband with an unlimited plan?
The majority of unlimited broadband plans are available with speeds of at least 100Mbps, with Virgin Media and other providers offering speeds up to 1Gb.
The actual speeds you’ll be able to get will depend on where you live and the type of broadband connection you have.
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Who needs unlimited broadband?
Unlimited broadband is the best option if you:
- live in a large household with lots of devices connected at one time
- play online games and don’t want lag to ruin your gaming experience
- download music, TV shows or movies
- stream content, via services like Netflix, NOW or Amazon Prime
What providers offer unlimited broadband?
Many providers in Ireland offer unlimited broadband, including:
- Digiweb
- eir
- Magnet
- Pure Telecom
- Sky
- Virgin Media
- Vodafone.
Can you bundle unlimited broadband?
Yes, you can. Most unlimited plans can be bundled with a home phone or TV.
Here’s our best bundle picks:
- Triple-play packages, which come with broadband, phone and TV in one bundle, can work out cheaper than buying services separately.
- For TV and broadband, there are 4 main providers in the Irish market which are eir, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone. They all offer discounts for the first 6 or 12 months.
- If you simply want to bundle your broadband and phone most providers offer a calls bundle at no extra cost.
Find an unlimited broadband bundle
How to compare unlimited broadband deals
There are a number of factors you may want to consider when comparing unlimited broadband:
- Price: This is usually the most important factor when choosing a broadband package.
- Broadband speed: The speed you need will depend on how many in your household and your internet habits.
- Fair usage policies: Would you be affected by data limits or slower speeds? Look out for truly unlimited plans.
- Contract length and discount period: Check how long you’ll be tied into your plan and the length of the discount period.
- Installation fees: Some providers offer free installation, but some may require an upfront charge.
When you’re ready to switch, check out our guide, How to switch broadband providers to ensure the move to your new provider is quick and easy.
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What is a download limit?
A download limit is the maximum amount of data you are allowed to download for each billing cycle, which is usually one month. This includes pictures, movies and music.
To find out more about data limits and how much data you may be using visit our guide about data limits and usage.
What is traffic management?
Some providers operate a ‘traffic management’ system. This means they limit customers’ maximum download and upload speeds during peak hours to make sure everyone connected to the exchange has an equal share of bandwidth.
Traffic management restrictions are designed to prioritise certain types of online traffic and ensure everyone has a smooth service.
How does a fair usage policy work?
Many providers will put in place a fair usage policy, which is a monthly cap on data usage. Usually, when you go above this limit, you’ll be charged for your usage, charges and limits vary with providers.
To find out more about data limits and fair usage policy visit our gude about data limits and fair usage.
