Broadband and mobile in Dublin Ireland?

September 10, 2013 6:40 PM

As a follow up to this, my son is flying to Dublin tomorrow from the US, attending DCU. He's got an apartment lined up but will need to get Internet service for it and a SIM card for his iPhone 4S shortly after he arrives. He'll be there for about a year. We're looking for specific recommendations for Internet service and mobile providers, and where/how to sign up!

Possible complication: it will be a while before he can get a local bank account set up.

posted by cosmac to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

Best answer: Look up the company called Three. I used a SIM card in my unlocked iPhone 4 - I purchased it at the WH Smith store in the airport for £1.99 and it gave me 1GB data. It works across the UK, and the plan can be topped up online.
posted by seawallrunner at 8:33 PM on September 10, 2013

Best answer: I'm not a local, but I bought a cell phone in Dublin for use while in the country. I went with Carphone Warehouse, which has shops everywhere and the guy I got was very helpful despite my tiny and cheap sale. Your son may be able to just use his phone as a hotspot to provide data in his apartment, has he thought about that?
posted by Anwan at 8:43 PM on September 10, 2013

Best answer: Go to any Three store, they will sell him a 3G SIM card that comes with a number and data (pay as you go/top-up) without needing any bank account or ID. Make sure that the iPhone is unlocked before you go. Bonus is that when you put the Three SIM in there you will also be able to use it as a mobile WiFi hotspot. This will provide reasonably good access until he is settled in the apartment and can find out if cable is available, etc.
posted by Disco Moo at 10:20 PM on September 10, 2013

Three give you a month free Internet for a twenty euro top up. He can use his iPhone for personal hotspot if he isn't, like, playing online games.
posted by Iteki at 1:43 AM on September 11, 2013

Best answer: If his phone isn't unlocked there are places in all the main shopping malls that will do that for him for about another twenty euro.
posted by Iteki at 1:45 AM on September 11, 2013

Also, in both the UK (with Virgin) and Ireland (with Tesco mobile), I've had no problem linking my US bank account to pay-as-you-go accounts so I could top up easily from that (though topping up with cash at various spots is generally possible too, just slightly less convenient at times).
posted by tiger tiger at 1:50 AM on September 11, 2013

Best answer: Sorry, missed the bit where you were asking about internet service as well! Pretty much everyone I know either uses UPC or wishes they did. They also have bundles with a landline, TV etc. if he's interested. I was with Imagine WiMax for a year before switching and UPC is faster and doesn't block your access with annoying messages about how you've exceeded the limits of their so-called unlimited package.
posted by tiger tiger at 2:19 AM on September 11, 2013

Best answer: I'm on Three (on a contract) and I can also recommend them. They're a much better deal than the main competition. Connection can be patchy in certain blind spots, but I've found them much better than Vodafone - whose coverage simply can't be guaranteed outside the city centre, in my experience.

I'm also with UPC for internet and am generally happy but depending on where you are in the city, your mileage may vary - plus they're not available everywhere (a friend once lived literally within sight of their HQ at East Point, but they didn't supply his complex).
posted by macdara at 5:12 AM on September 11, 2013

Like others said, I've got good luck with Three.ie PAYG Sims everytime I go to Ireland, which I just top up when I get in country (via payment at a store, usually). Never had problems, good coverage, etc.
posted by kaszeta at 7:41 AM on September 11, 2013

All the networks do top up SIMs, so once your phone is unlocked he'll just need to find whichever provider works best for him. If he'll be calling the states he may need a different option on his package, you can usually get add-ons to your package. I'm on Meteor and haven't had a problem but that's bill pay so Three maybe better.

As for internet, that really depends on where abouts he is living. Some places are hooked up to the fibre, some apartment blocks are tied in to UPC or Sky ot whatever. The other option is Eircom but that's usually more if you are going for a landline as well.

If he doesn't need broadband he could always go down the hotspot route and use his college's wifi for more intense internetting.
posted by Fence at 11:00 AM on September 12, 2013

Best answer: The recommendations for Three and UPC were right on. Thanks all!
posted by cosmac at 2:22 PM on October 22, 2013