Fixed Line Connections

There is a lot of activity taking place in Co. Meath to supply high speed internet access to everyone.

Open eir’s services will be available to the public through a range of telecoms retailers. They have committed to upgrading services in all urban areas to FTTP.  Details of their future plans are not publicly available, but some areas are already delivered. Check out the open eir network map website to check availability in your premises and find out who your local retailer is.

SIRO have rolled out in Co. Meath with Fibre to the Home services in Bettystown, Laytown and Mornington; Navan, Trim, Ashbourne, Dunshaughlin, Ratoath, Dunboyne and Clonee. In 2023 they extended their network to Stamullen, Kells, Duleek and Enfield. 

SIRO’s services will be available from several retail providers who will supply broadband speeds up to 1Gb. For further information check out http://siro.ie/

Virgin Media have a presence in several towns in Co. Meath. Their service provides up to 1Gb depending on the network infrastructure they have in each town. Virgin Media are actively expanding their network in Co. Meath with new homes and estates being connected daily. For further details check out https://www.virginmedia.ie/

National Broadband Ireland have delivered some services to residents in Co. Meath with over 3,000 homes passed by the end of 2023. Work continues (in 2023) to build out for over 12,600 premises across the County. Check www.nbi.ie for an update on your Eircode and for details on how to order or pre-order a service.

Wireless Providers

If you are not able to secure a fixed line connection for broadband access, then you could consider one of the wireless providers. Wireless Internet can deliver high speed internet over 30 Mbs with up to 1Gb available in some urban locations with new 5G services. 

All the mobile providers are currently improving their services. In order to do this additional significant investment has been made existing mobile phone masts. This work is replacing older technologies with newer more reliable equipment able to carry more voice and data traffic.

The strength of your mobile phone and wireless internet signal is very dependent on a wide range of factors. These include the topography of the land, the prevalence of trees around your location, how well insulated your premises is and the handset or device you are using to connect to the internet. Wireless internet works on line of sight and therefore if anything is between you or your wireless antenna and the mast antenna then it will reduce your signal.

All of the mobile phone companies have a large number of antennae in Co. Meath. In order to improve services, they are investing in sharing mobile phone masts and identifying sites for new masts. As consumers increasingly use their phones to access the internet it will increase demand on the networks and drive the need for additional mast sites to maintain services.

Currently in Co. Meath residential and business premises can secure wireless internet access from a range of suppliers. In order to find out who has the closest service to your premises you can check out the ComReg Coverage Map which identifies the coverage of all mobile phone antennae in the state. 

5G services are currently not included in this map but will be added in a future update. Currently in Ireland 5G services are licenced at frequencies similar to those for TV, 2G and 4G services. 

COMREG are responsible for the regulation and testing of companies using Radio Spectrum Telecommunications Technology. This technology uses electromagnetic field (EMF) transmissions to carry television, radio, voice and data information and is essential for modern communications. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for the provision of advice and guidance in relation to public exposure to electromagnetic fields. They will also be responsible for monitoring scientific and technological developments likely to impact on the public’s exposure to EMF and to carry out independent monitoring of public exposure to EMF.

For further information on the wireless internet services from your mobile phone provider check out their websites or contact them for details.

As well as the mobile phone Telco’s there are some dedicated wireless internet providers such as Rural Wifi and Imagine Broadband. 

Rural Wifi provide customers with an antenna and transmitter which will lock on to the strongest mobile phone signal regardless of provider and securely link with their service unless reset. 

Imagine Broadband will set up a connection between an antenna in your premises with one of their mast sites. Imagine do restrict the number of connections each antenna has in order to maintain quality of service. 

Satellite Broadband services will provide up to 100Mbs download virtually anywhere in the county. Services are available from Digiweb, Starlink, BRDY and KonnectMe.