Compare providers as they net with highspeed offers

NOT yet bitten by the broadband bug? Then it’s time to get the calculator out. Because despite concerns that Ireland lags other countries for highspeed internet access, the country’s broadband providers have been slow to make life simpler for potential customers.

Some operators, especially the niche players, have made genuine attempts to shake things up and, despite charges that look complex, it’s worth keeping an eye out for the more attractive deals. The main things to watch out for are the monthly bill, any upfront connection fees, time limits and hidden charges.

Irish Broadband:

The big plus is its wireless technology, so there’s no need for a landline if users only use a mobile for calls. The deal became more attractive with a recent move to shelve upfront charges of €99 or €150. Monthly bills of €36 (or €25 for a 0.5MB package) mean surfing for €432 a year (or €300 for the lower speed deal).

NTL:

For always-on internet access without worrying about 20-hour ceilings, cable TV operator NTL is hard to beat. Its basic 1MB package leaves rivals in the shade with no connection charge and a €25 monthly bill.

Even better, it’s one of the few remaining operators with a three-month free trial. That makes a year’s surfing with NTL just e225 (three months free and nine months at €25).

For those with no desire to have a landline phone and incur whopping €25 monthly charges for line rental, NTL’s technology means the landline can go. But the catch? It’s only available in Dublin, Waterford and Galway.

Smart Telecom:

Smart’s rollout programme has disappointed, leaving many eager customers signed up but not yet connected.

But the deal itself is a steal. Smart offers a 2MB package as standard (twice as fast as most) for €35 per month - including free phone line rental for the first 100,000 customers. A year with Smart sets you back €420 - but the absence of further line rental charges, worth around €300 per year, is a huge plus.

Eircom:

It may be the original, but is it the best? It cut its monthly bill from €40 to €30 but at the expense of a two-month free trial that was worth €80, leaving the effect on customers’ pockets largely neutral. Free connection has been replaced with an upfront charge, so 12 months online comes to a total bill of €400. Like the other landline-based providers (excluding Smart), customers must also pay hefty line rental charges for the phone.

BT Ireland:

BT has taken the fight to Eircom with a special €15 monthly charge for new customers. But this offer only lasts for four months before the price is jacked up to €30. Customers could also do without a €50 upfront connection charge and the decision to drop a three-month free trial. Sign up today and pay €350 over the next 12 months. Not bad, but BT offers better deals if customers sign up for its phone package too. First-time connections can get broadband and line rental for a dirt-cheap €25 per month, but this goes up to €40 after four months - €420 in total and a good match for Smart’s ground-breaking move.

Imagine:

A new and impressive package offering free connection and a €20 monthly charge. Although there’s a hidden upfront hit of €45 for equipment that rivals offer for free (which can be rented instead for an extra €3 per month), the deal is one of the cheapest in the market with a 12-month bill of €285.

UTV:

The Belfast operator has become more aggressive on price, with a new €18 monthly deal that expires after 6 months, rising to €32 at that stage. A connection fee of €30 means a total 12-month hit of €306 - around €100 lower than Eircom. And there are further discounts for customers that take their phone service, UTVtalk, which includes a free call deal.

Twenty-hour offers:

Eircom offers limited access for €20 per month, with no connection charge, but is undercut by a €10 deal from Imagine. UTV is also in this market with a €18 monthly charge that goes up to €24 after 6 months, but also levies €30 upfront for connection.