Telecommunications in Ireland operate in a regulated competitive market that provides customers with a wide array of advanced digital services. This article explores Ireland's telecommunications infrastructure including: fixed and mobile networks, The voice, data and Internet services, cable television, developments in next generation networks and broadcast networks for radio and television.
Eircom Limited, trading as eir, is a large fixed, mobile and broadband telecommunications company in Ireland. The now privatised company, which is currently incorporated in Jersey, traces its origins to Ireland's former state-owned monopoly telecommunication provider Telecom Éireann and its predecessors, P&T and before the foundation of the state, the telecommunications division of the GPO. It remains the largest telecommunications operator in the Ireland and has overseas operations focused on the business and corporate telecom markets in the United Kingdom. The company was in majority state ownership until 1999, when it was privatised through a floatation on the Irish and New York Stock Exchanges.
Bell Mobility Inc. is a Canadian wireless network operator and the division of Bell Canada which offers wireless services across Canada. It operates networks using LTE and HSPA+ on its mainstream networks. Bell Mobility is the third-largest wireless carrier in Canada, with 10.1 million subscribers as of Q3 2020.
Meteor Mobile Communications Limited was a GSM and UMTS mobile telecommunications company in Ireland. They operated a GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS(HSPA+) and LTE cellular communications network under licence from the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), and were the third entrant in the market, after Vodafone Ireland and Three Ireland. The company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Irish telecoms network Eir, having been purchased for €420m in 2005. Meteor was the only Irish owned mobile operator in Ireland. Meteor once issued new numbers with the prefix code 085. Since the introduction of full mobile number portability in Ireland, access codes have become less relevant as mobile telephone users may now retain their mobile telephone numbers when moving between mobile network operators. As a result, Meteor customers could have numbers starting with the codes 083, 085, 086, 087, or 089.
Virgin Mobile is a wireless communications brand used by seven independent brand-licensees worldwide. Virgin Mobile branded wireless communications services are available in Colombia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Chile, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Poland, South Africa, and Mexico. Virgin Mobile branded services used to be offered in Australia, France, Singapore, India, Qatar and the United States.
Telefónica Ireland was a broadband and telecommunications provider in Ireland that traded under the O2 brand (typeset as O2). O2 Ireland was previously called Esat Digifone when it was owned by Esat Telecommunications (and Telenor) from 1997 to 2006.
Virgin Mobile USA was a no-contract Mobile Network Operator. It used Sprint's network for coverage. It licensed the Virgin Mobile brand from United Kingdom-based Virgin Group. Virgin Mobile USA was headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and provided service to approximately 6 million customers.
Smart Telecom (AIM:SMR) was an Irish telecom operator that started as a phone card seller. It was also the third largest provider of cost-sensitive telecom services sector in Ireland, behind the incumbent operators eircom and BT Ireland. It had an estimated 50,000 land-line customers and 18,000 broadband subscribers. Smart operated several services:
Setanta Sports is a sports television company based in Dublin, Ireland broadcasting throughout all ex-USSR countries except Russia. The company was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events to international audiences. The company previously operated channels in Ireland, the UK, Asia, Africa, Australia, the United States, and Canada
BT Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) provided by BT Consumer; a division of BT Group in the United Kingdom that was launched in March 2015. It uses the EE network via an MVNO agreement signed in March 2014 as well as using the spectrum BT won in the 2013's 4G auction. EE is now owned by BT following a successful acquisition that was officially completed on 29 January 2016. BT Mobile operates alongside BT Business Mobile which is provided by the BT Business and Public Sector division. BT Mobile launched as a SIM-only service and had more than 400,000 customers as of 5 May 2016.
Virgin Media Ireland is Liberty Global's telecommunications operation in Ireland. It is the largest digital cable television provider within the Republic of Ireland. As of 31 December 2014, the company offers broadband internet, digital television and digital (VoIP) telephony to 1 million customers. Until 4 May 2010, Virgin Media Ireland traded under the name Chorus NTL and UPC Ireland until 5 October 2015. Its main competitors in the Irish pay TV market are Sky Ireland, Eir and Vodafone Ireland.
Asda Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the United Kingdom, operated by Asda, using the network EE. Asda Mobile previously used the network of Vodafone until December 2013. Asda Mobile is available in over 360 stores across the United Kingdom, and online through purchasing either a SIM Card or through an Asda Mobile handset.
T-Mobile US, Inc., doing business as T-Mobile, is an American wireless network operator. Its largest shareholder is the German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom (DT) with a 43% share, with Japanese conglomerate holding company SoftBank Group partially owning the company as well at a 24% share. The remaining 33% share of the company is owned by the public through common stock. Its headquarters are located in Bellevue, Washington, in the Seattle metropolitan area. T-Mobile is the third-largest wireless carrier in the United States, with 100.3 million subscribers as of the end of Q3 2020.
Giffgaff (stylised "giffgaff") is a mobile telephone network running as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) using O2's British network. Owned by O2's owners Telefónica Uk Limited Giffgaff was launched on 25 November 2009.
Chatr Mobile is a Canadian mobile virtual network operator owned by Rogers Communications Canada targeting entry-level customers. It is one of three wireless brands owned by Rogers Communications, including Rogers Wireless, and Fido Solutions. The provider launched its service in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Quebec City, and Montreal under the name Chatr Wireless on July 28, 2010. The company re-branded to its current name in 2015.
Mobile by Sainsbury's was a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the UK, operated by Sainsbury's between July 2013 and January 2016, using the Vodafone UK network.
Three UK is a British telecommunications and internet service provider based in Maidenhead, England. It is a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings, operating under the global Three brand. Three is the fourth-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with 13.3 million subscribers as of July 2020.
SMARTY is a mobile telephone brand running as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) using the Three network in the United Kingdom. A sub-brand of the Three company, the operator aims to attract customers primarily looking for cheaper deals than those available with Three directly, by offering a monthly rolling SIM-only service, limited to online-only support. Uniquely, the operator offers to buy back unused data by means of a bill discount, a practice which isn't widespread in the UK, but is exhibited elsewhere such as by US carrier Ting.
Clear Mobile is a mobile telephone network running as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) using Vodafone's Irish network. Clear Mobile is owned by Vodafone. Clear Mobile was launched on 14 January 2021.
