What Is NBI Ireland?
As is often the way, the deployment of advanced technologies is usually undertaken in areas of high population density first. This can create a large degree of developmental disparity and inequality between urban and rural regions, particularly when it comes to internet services.
The National Broadband Ireland (NBI), also known as the National Broadband Plan (NBP), aims to remedy that by creating a dedicated rural broadband network. When complete, this network will have laid around 146,000 kilometres of fibre cable, erecting roughly 1.5 million poles, and boosting areas that typically endure slow internet speeds of under 30Mbps to speeds guaranteed to exceed 500Mbps.
Once achieved, this will result in the connection (or connection availability) of up to 1.1 million people, 54,000 farms, 554,000 premises, 44 small businesses and 679 schools, mostly within the 23% of the country deemed to be in connection dark spots.
How Will the Deployment of the NBI Be Carried Out?
Naturally, with such an expansive project, there are many steps involved before you are able to avail of NBI services in your home. Having launched in 2020 and targeted to complete in 2027, the below steps could take a little time:
- Survey of Duct Networks: NBI must survey existing duct networks and poles to assess their validity within future deployment plans.
- Approval from Local Authority: NBI must seek the approval from the local authority relating to how and where any infrastructure will be installed and its effects.
- Preparing Infrastructure: Once approval is gained, the task of readying their infrastructure begins. This includes raising poles, laying fibre, and more.
- Ordering a Connection: Once the network is completed, you can order a connection through one of the registered NBI service providers. NBI themselves are a wholesaler, meaning that they do not sell their product to the public directly.
- Installation: After your order has been accepted, NBI will arrange an installation with you on behalf of your provider. This could be through overhead wires or existing duct networks. The installation can take anywhere from one hour to two days depending on the nature of the site, and a small NBI network box will be attached to your house, through which your modem will receive its signal.
What Type of Internet Will the NBI Rollout Install?
National Broadband Ireland is using fibre technology to bring superfast speeds to Irish homes. In order to achieve minimum speeds of 500 Mbps, the NBI rollout is focusing on providing FTTH (Fibre To The Home/House) rather than FTTC (Fibre To The Cabinet/Box) connections. This means that your broadband will be delivered directly to your home via a full-fibre connection, rather than a part-fibre connection using copper wires.
Why fibre over alternatives?
- Widespread Technology: Most modern suppliers offer fibre in some form. This means that the market will be more competitive, and various options related to product, quality and service exist.
- Futureproof: While normal domestic speeds usually reach up to 1 Gbps, fibre has the potential to deliver speeds easily exceeding 44 Tbps. This means that fibre is set to grow significantly in the near future.
- Far Faster than ADSL: Fibre speeds are on average ten times faster than copper-based ADSL connections.
With the increasing scarcity of traditional ADSL connections, it is starting to look like those who prefer to keep a fixed-line connection rather than mobile broadband, WiFi dongle with 5G integration, or satellite broadband are likely to make the jump to fibre sooner or later.
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How Is the NBI Rollout Going?
The NBI rollout is divided into 227 deployment areas, 33 of which have been rolled out so far. To check where the NBI rollout is up to in your area, you can view the NBI rollout map on their website, which shows you exactly what developmental or deployment stage each county is at.
Don't See Your Area on the National Broadband Ireland Plan?
If you do not see your area on the NBI Ireland plan, this means that your home most likely already receives speeds exceeding 30Mbps and so is not designated as a low-speed area. If, however, you are able to prove that your home does have a lower speed than this margin, you are able to apply for NBI inclusion through the following process:
- Contact Your Provider: Contact your current service provider to check why you cannot receive higher speeds.
- Look Around at Other Providers: Enquire with other broadband providers to see if they are able to confirm if high-speed broadband is available through their services.
- Raise a Query: If you confirm that no provider can provide a service speed of over 30Mbps, you can raise a query with the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications, who will begin an investigation.
- Wait for Resolution: This will be resolved in two ways: either it is confirmed that a provider can supply speeds in excess of 30 Mbps, or they will conclude that your property is a candidate to be included in the NBI rollout.
How Can I Sign Up to Be Connected to the NBI Rollout?
Head over to the NBI homepage and select "search availability in your area". A new page will open requesting you to input your Eircode, which will result in a subsequent page informing you if your premises is included in the National Broadband Plan. All going well, you should be able to either sign up for the service if it is available, or if it is in the later stage of development, you can complete a preorder form.
Which Providers Are Certified to Sell on the NBI Network?
NBI is a wholesaler, meaning you cannot buy directly from them. Instead, the following providers are certified to sell on the NBI network:
Eir, Vodafone, Sky, Pure Telecom, Rural Broadband, Magnet, Digiweb, Regional Broadband, ivertex, Fibre Broadband, Atlantic Broadband, MTS Media, Fastcom, net1.ie, Zintek, Blacknight Solutions, Airwave Internet, Nu Wave Broadband, Rocket Broadband, IFA Telecom, Roctel, Westnet, Tipperary Broadband, Aptus Fibre, Mynet, Eurona, Chill WiFi, Premier Fibre, BBnet, Kerry Broadband, Viatel, E Broadband, IMS, Next Gen WiFi, and Kernet.
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How Can I Contact NBI Ireland?
| Contact Method | Contact Details |
|---|---|
| Call | 0818 624 624 — Mon-Fri 9am-5pm |
| General Email Queries | [email protected] |
| Media Email Queries | [email protected] |
| Social Media | Facebook, Instagram and Twitter |
Mailing Address: National Broadband Ireland, 3009 Lake Drive, Citywest, Freepost FDN7562, D24 H6RR
Frequently Asked Questions About NBI Ireland
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