Virgin Media and Eir: The best fixed-line Internet performances in Ireland 2025

Virgin Media and Eir share the leadership of fixed-line Internet in Ireland for 2025, according to the annual nPerf barometer. This edition reveals sustained competition across all performance indicators with year-over-year improvements for four out of five operators.

Virgin Media ranks first ex-aequo with a score of 125 926 nPoints. With speeds of 308.2 Mbps in download bitrate and 69.2 Mbps in upload bitrate, the operator leads in both metrics. Top performer in video streaming (84.0%), it delivers smooth viewing experiences ideal for HD content and rapid file transfers.

Eir shares the first position ex-aequo with 123 938 nPoints. Speeds reach 208.3 Mbps in download bitrate and 56.1 Mbps in upload bitrate (2nd place). Leading in browsing (86.9%) and video streaming (84.4%) ex-aequo, the operator ensures quality user experience with well-controlled latency of 26.0 ms.

Sky completes the podium with 118 407 nPoints. The operator delivers the best latency in the sector (22.0 ms), perfect for gaming and real-time applications. Sharing first place ex-aequo in browsing (86.1%) and video streaming (83.5%), it guarantees fluid navigation.

Vodafone ranks fourth with 117 947 nPoints. With speeds of 231.1 Mbps in download bitrate (2nd place) and 54.8 Mbps in upload bitrate (3rd place), the operator supports demanding uses. Leading in browsing ex-aequo (86.8%), it demonstrates strong performance across key metrics.

Three positions fifth with 82 946 nPoints. The operator achieves 69.3 Mbps in download bitrate and 24.7 Mbps in upload bitrate.

Measurements based on 15 332 tests conducted via the nPerf website and the nPerf app on Android and iOS.

Vodafone crowned Best Mobile Internet and 5G Provider in Ireland

<a href=”https://n.vodafone.ie/en.html”>Vodafone Ireland</a> has been awarded Best Mobile Internet Performance 2024, for a third year in a row, and Best 5G Provider in Ireland for 2024 at this year’s nPerf Awards. This recognition follows Vodafone becoming the first mobile network provider in Ireland to switch off its 3G network transitioning customers to a faster, more efficient 4G and 5G network in 2024.

Short for network performance, nPerf is a trusted partner for both fixed and mobile operators, providing comprehensive network testing solutions and analysis. The results for 2024 were based on thousand of actual tests performed by users in real conditions using the nPerf application available on Android and iOS. nPerf points are calculated across five factors – Download (DL) Speed, Upload (UP) Speed, Latency (delay), Web Browsing, and YouTube Streaming.

Vodafone Ireland maintained its leading position in Ireland’s mobile market, achieving the highest score of 108,153 nPoints, demonstrating its promise of a premium network making every connection count for its customers. The operator excelled in multiple categories and was the best-performing provider across four – Upload Speed, Latency, Web Browsing, and YouTube Streaming – showcasing reliable performance in the 5G sector.

2024 saw Vodafone becoming the first mobile network provider in Ireland to switch off its 3G network. This upgrade to a more sustainable, efficient and reliable 4G and 5G network offers all Vodafone Ireland customers an enhanced experience with improved connection across the country. Vodafone’s 5G is now available across Ireland with 78% population coverage.

Over the past three years, Vodafone has invested over €300 million into its network nationwide, with plans to invest an additional half a billion euros over the next four years. This investment will further enhance call and text reliability, provide superfast 4G and 5G services, and expand high-definition voice coverage for Vodafone customers.

Accepting the award, <b>Sheila Kavanagh, Network Director at Vodafone Ireland</b>, commented:

<i>“Every day, we strive to offer our customers the best, most reliable mobile network experience and this award is a testament to our teams across Ireland who work to deliver on this promise day in and day out.</i>

<i>“This award recognises our ability to respond to the ever-evolving needs of our customers, who increased their data usage by 20% last year alone and still experienced the same premium service they have come to expect from Vodafone.”</i>

<i>“We remain focused on supporting businesses across Ireland, with 60% of Irish businesses entrusting their mobile business accounts to Vodafone. We understand the critical role that robust and reliable connectivity plays in today’s fast-paced business environment, and we are dedicated to maintaining our position as the leading provider of mobile internet services. We look forward to bringing even more cutting-edge solutions to our customers, enhancing their digital experiences and supporting their connectivity, growth and success.” </i>

Recognising <a href=”https://techbuzzireland.com/?s=vodafone”>Vodafone’s</a&gt; continued success in 2024,<b> Sébastien de Rosbo, Managing Director nPerf</b>, stated, “The year 2024 has seen Vodafone continue its strong performance in the Irish mobile market, particularly in the 5G space, despite a slight decrease in overall testing volume.”

eir Storm Éowyn National Update 31.01.25

eir is making significant progress in restoring services after Storm Éowyn which hit Ireland a week ago. This was the most severe weather event ever recorded for Ireland’s telecommunications network. The storm caused almost 6,000 reports of network damage, including fallen poles, damaged cables, and other hazards. So far, more than 3,500 hazards have been addressed, but new reports continue to emerge as recovery efforts progress.

Over 250,000 homes and more than 830 mobile sites now have restored service. Approximately 20,000 homes remain without broadband, primarily in Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Donegal, and we are working to restore these as quickly as possible.

There will also be individual faults that will take additional time to address. Regarding storm resilience, eir has invested €1.7 billion to modernise and expand its network infrastructure, enabling fibre connections for over 1.2 million homes and premises. An additional €500 million has been committed to further this effort.

ESB now reports 76,000 Homes and Businesses without power, with an expected long tail to recover power nationwide. Power outages continue to be a cause of service disruption during storm events, and therefore eir has back-up power sources at 1,250 exchange sites across the country, static generators at over 250 critical sites, over 60 mobile generators, alongside battery back up on over 60% of our mobile sites.

Una Stafford, Managing Director of open eir Networks said: “Our dedicated teams across the country have been working around the clock in response to the storm, working closely with other first responders including local authority staff and the ESB. We have restored a majority of services now but there remains a significant amount of work to be done yet. We will be continuing our storm recovery into this weekend and February as we work to make our plant safe and get people connected again”

Ookla Shares Analysis of Storm Éowyn’s Impact on Telecoms Infrastructure

The UK and Ireland are in recovery mode after Storm Éowyn wreaked havoc on electricity and telecoms infrastructure in recent days. With record wind gusts exceeding 180 km/h recorded in Ireland and a ‘major incident’ declared on the Isle of Man, the storm has been historic in both its strength and the extent of the damage caused across the islands.

Today, Ookla Shares Analysis of Storm Éowyn’s Impact on Telecoms Infrastructure severe and sustained decline in mobile performance across all operators in Ireland and parts of the UK on a scale not seen before.

On the day the storm made landfall (24th January), median mobile download speeds in Ireland (10.04 Mbps) were 78% lower than the preceding 7-day average of 47.43 Mbps, while median latency was 23% higher at 47.6 ms. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, mobile download speeds at the 10th percentile—a critical metric reflecting the poorest network performance—dropped significantly on the same day, falling by 63% to 2.19 Mbps and by 74% to 1.31 Mbps, respectively, compared to the 7-day average.

The unprecedented scale of impact on telecoms infrastructure serves as the latest and most high-profile call to action for hardening networks against increasingly frequent and severe storms in the UK and Ireland.

You can find the full analysis and Speedtest Intelligence® data here: https://www.ookla.com/articles/storm-eowyn

How does NTN work? Discussing the best features of Satellite communication

Communication networks are very important in today’s world because they connect people, companies, and governments worldwide. Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) are one sophisticated system that has attracted much interest lately. NTN is pushing how we remain connected as satellite communication develops, especially in places conventional networks cannot reach. Emphasizing NTN’s importance in satellite communication, this paper will examine how it operates and its finest characteristics.

What is NTN?

Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) is a communication method wherein areas without typical terrestrial networks (such as fiber optics or cell towers) may have internet and network services using satellites, drones, or other aerial platforms. From rural places to even mobile situations like ships and aircraft, NTN provides a way to link far-off or difficult-to-reach locations.

While terrestrial networks run in space or the air, NTN guarantees a wider and more flexible reach, while ground-based infrastructure such as towers and cables forms the foundation of both. This makes military operations, emergency communications, and increasing internet access to underprivileged regions very vital.

How Does NTN Work?

NTN establishes communication linkages mostly via satellites circling the Earth. This is a detailed walk-through of this system’s operation:

  • Communication of Signals

 

In an NTN system, satellites pick up data signals from a base station—an Earth station. These signals might include video streams, audio chats, or internet data.

  • Satellite Relay

After receiving the signals, the satellite forwards them either straight to a ground-based receiver, such as a remote station, mobile device, or aircraft, or another satellite.

  • Ground Communication

These messages are sent back to Earth by the satellite. Ground stations or individual users can then receive the data, such as a phone call, an internet link, or information about guidance.

Best NTN Features for Satellite Communication

NTN is a necessary instrument for satellite communication as it presents various benefits and characteristics and has become more important in worldwide communication networks. Let’s investigate some characteristics:

Reliability and Fortitude

NTN is quite strong. Unlike terrestrial networks, which could be damaged by physical damage to towers or cables, NTN’s satellite-based infrastructure is resistant to many problems afflicting ground networks. Although natural events such as floods, earthquakes, or wildfires could compromise terrestrial communication networks, NTN operates in these circumstances and provides vital communication for emergency services and rescue.

This robustness makes NTN an excellent option for humanitarian missions, disaster recovery operations, and any situation where preserving communication is vital.

Enhanced Rural Area Connectivity

Building terrestrial infrastructure like fiber-optic cables is costly and time-consuming, so rural and remote locations can lack high-speed internet and other communication services. By beaming down satellite internet services, NTN closes the connection disparity for rural areas.

For those living in these places, this enhanced connection helps to provide greater access to healthcare, education, and economic possibilities. While telemedicine services enable healthcare practitioners to access patients in remote areas, high-speed internet may aid rural schools in providing online learning tools.

Backing for Mobility

One of NTN’s most vital points is its capacity to provide consumers with on-the-go connections. NTN ensures that lines of contact stay available, whether in distant military operations, aboard ships, or aircraft. For example, aircraft passengers may use NTN satellite systems to access the internet when traveling over the ocean or far-off areas.

Similarly, ships in the middle of the ocean may keep in touch with land utilizing satellite-based data and instruction receipts. For sectors such as aviation, marine transportation, and military, NTN is very essential because of its mobility.

Reasonably Affordable Growth

Expanding terrestrial networks to serve sparsely inhabited or far-off locations may be expensive. Laying cables, erecting towers, and preserving infrastructure needed for large financial outlay. By providing a reasonably priced substitute, NTN enables companies to deliver internet and communication services without requiring significant ground infrastructure.

For nations or areas with few resources to create conventional networks yet need high-quality communication services, NTN is thus a perfect choice. NTN may often be implemented as less expensive and quicker than terrestrial alternatives.

Compatibility with 5G

NTN is positioned to complement and improve 5G services as 5G networks are being rolled out. Through integration with terrestrial 5G networks, NTN can access regions beyond the reach of conventional 5G towers. Faster, more dependable internet services in regions where 5G alone may find it challenging to deliver coverage would be made possible by this alliance between NTN and 5G.

NTN can assist, for instance, distant industrial activities, 5G services for rural areas, or even highway travelers far from cities. This flawless integration guarantees that more individuals might benefit from 5G technology’s speed and efficiency.

Conclusion

Particularly in locations beyond the scope of conventional terrestrial networks, NTN is transforming our communication, Modern communication systems must include it because of its capacity to provide worldwide coverage, durability against natural catastrophes, and support of mobile settings. NTN will become more and more vital as satellite communication technology develops to link the globe and provide a dependable, adaptable, reasonably priced service for both urban and rural areas.

 

Ambitious Comms Reseller GPS Telecom Chooses Evolve IP To Accelerate Growth Strategy

Evolve IP, a leading service provider of Unified Communications, has welcomed GPS Telecom as its latest reselling partner across the EMEA region – to help fire-up further sales success.

GPS Telecom joins at an exciting point of their business journey, with plans of expansion and growth including new global collaboration services from Evolve IP.

Runcorn-based GPS Telecom has over 15 years’ industry experience in providing the latest unified communication products, designed to integrate and futureproof businesses. The company has built a reputation as an expert provider who recommend and implement the very latest, often complex systems, simply and seamlessly into any organisation.

Big targets

Managing Director, Chris Jones, explained: “Evolve IP are the service provider that can help with our growth plans. We have set ourselves some big targets and Evolve IP has the expertise and technologies that will help us get there. 

“I am very proud to lead a team of dedicated and highly talented individuals who are all committed to delivering a professional and personal service to each and every one of our customers.

“We are embarking on an exciting journey of expansion, supported by our customers both old and new and by the trusted relationships we have built with our industry leading suppliers. Our business is our people and without their commitment none of the amazing things we achieve would be possible, I am honoured to work with such a fantastic team.”

Chris Jones, Managing Director, GPS Telecom

 

Thrilled

Jamie Hughes, UK Sales Director at Evolve IP, shared the enthusiasm, as he outlined: “We’re thrilled to have GPS Telecom join our reselling base; their expertise and skills are exactly what we look for within our partners. We’re very excited to see them grow and thrive by offering our solutions to their customer base which will inspire them on a new journey of success.”

Jamie Hughes, Evolve IP

GPS Telecom will be reselling a range of the Evolve IP enterprise-grade solutions that are available to all reselling partners These feature:

 

  • Anywhere Contact Centre – Delivers service excellence and supports teams in the hybrid world. Scales from 5 to 1000 plus agents, always allowing on-demand agent ‘bursting’. With Anywhere Contact Centre, new contact centres can be online within hours and new agents in just minutes.

 

  • Evolve Anywhere with Microsoft Teams – Natively integrated between the Microsoft Teams and Evolve IP’s carrier-grade voice solution. Users can work within a system they are familiar with (MS Teams) but integrate with sophisticated technologies that will allow them to scale up and improve their communications strategy effectively. 

 

  • Evolve Anywhere with Cisco Webex – A decade-long partnership with Cisco for hosting Cisco telephony solutions enables Evolve IP to provide ‘unparalleled service, support and the latest features’.

 

  • Anywhere Value Add Solutions – Evolve IP’s Anywhere Product Suite offers partners an eco-system of technology partners from call recording with Voice AI to business analytics, integrations and receptionist console. All within a user-friendly management portal.

Hughes highlighted: “Evolve IP’s recent launch of Anywhere Portal and introduction of Anywhere Contact Centre has come at a great time for GPS Telecom – offering their customers simple provisioning and a complete unified communication technology stack for extensive growth in the future.”

Evolve IP has recently launched a summer sales campaign, teaming up with top technology partners to offer a range of offers and incentives.

Jones believes the company is ideally placed to help push GPS Telecom further forward, as he concluded: “Evolve IP’s scalable technology and flexibility is going to enable my team to flourish and support our customers seamlessly.”