Three Ireland soups up mobile broadband

18-12-2006

by Emmet Ryan

Three Ireland has become the first mobile operator in Ireland to launch a HSDPA mobile broadband service.

The mobile provider launched its new high-speed mobile broadband network on Monday in Dublin with services available nationwide by January. The service offers speeds of up to 3.6Mbps. Three's network currently covers 80 percent of the population.

Three Ireland's managing director Robert Finnegan said the launch of the service would benefit customers "This is great news for our customers who can access their favourite video clips, TV or websites even faster than before. The mobile broadband speeds we're offering match or exceed those available in the Irish market from either fixed line or mobile operators," said Finnegan.

"We are also offering the most competitively priced broadband packages available, challenging the fixed line operators by offering a faster and better service nationwide," he said. "Because of the slow roll-out of fixed-line broadband services, uptake in Ireland has lagged behind other European countries. Today's announcement shows Three's commitment to the Irish market in making Ireland a serious broadband player."

The launch of the network was welcomed by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey. "Ireland aims to reduce the digital divide, 3G mobile technology is playing a significant role in bringing converged services and great value broadband to the nation," he said.

"With over 103 percent mobile penetration, mobile broadband is bringing high speed internet services to Irish consumers, with the added benefit of mobility. Three is the first operator to launch mobile broadband and we welcome the speedy introduction of HSDPA from the other operators," said Minister Dempsey.

Three's mobile broadband packages cost EUR24.99 for the starter package offering downloads of up 250MB per month, rising to EUR39.99 for a 3GB package.

For their part O2 and Vodafone have both announced plans to introduce mobile broadband services. In August ENN reported that O2 plans to launch a mobile broadband network in Ireland before the end of the year. Vodafone's HSDPA service is expected to be launched in the coming months.