Types of Broadband

Broadband through your phone line (DSL)

Accessing the Internet through your phone line is possibly the preferred choice of home and business users. This option is unfortunately not available for all Meath residents, due to the fact that not all telephone exchanges and phone lines have been upgraded.

Phone lines in the large towns such as Trim, Kells, Navan, Dunshaughlin are typically suitable however outside of these areas the local telephone exchanges have not been upgraded. For example the Navan exchange has been upgraded for broadband but the Kilcarn exchange just outside Navan has not been.

Wireless Broadband (Fixed Wireless Access, FWA)

For those who cannot access broadband through their phone line or choose not to there are a couple of alternatives. Firstly Wireless access does not depend on your phone line or telephone exchange therefore it is a decent alternative.

It does need a ‘line of sight’ to your home, so if your house is surrounded by hills or large trees you may have difficulty obtaining wireless broadband access to the Internet. Wireless broadband compares favourably for speed and cost to the phone line alternative, particularly where it is provided through a group scheme.

Satellite Broadband

Similar to Wireless broadband, this broadband option does not rely on the phone line or telephone exchange. Again, satellite broadband does need a ‘line of sight’ to your home, so if your house is surrounded by hills or large trees you may have difficulty obtaining satellite broadband access to the Internet.

Because the Internet is delivered to your home via a satellite a great distance away, there are concerns that this type of access is not ideal due to delays or ‘latency’ in the service. This is mainly a problem if you are using the Internet to play Internet games. Satelitte broadband compares favourably for speed and cost to the phone line or wireless alternatives, particularly where it is provided through a group scheme.