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SKY IS GOING head-to-head with arch rivals UPC and Eircom for high-speed broadband punters as it finally launches a fibre service for Ireland.
And the company will be aiming to undercut competitors with its initial offering, which will be among the cheapest fibre packages in the country – at least to begin with.
Both existing and new customers will be able to sign up to Sky’s plans from today, although the company won’t be officially promoting its offers until later this month.
It will put up an introductory offer of unlimited broadband with speeds of up to 100Mb/s for €30 a month for the first half-year, then €50 per month after that. The package will include some phone calls and costs a total of €480 for the initial year.
Sky’s offer will lob in cheaper over 12 months than UPC, Eircom and Vodafone’s comparable products – although UPC has a cheaper fibre package at speeds of 60MB/s and Vodafone provides a cut-price, broadband-only service at €35 a month.
The telecoms company will partner with BT Ireland for the service and piggy-back on Eircom’s fibre network, which has been rolled out to 1 million premises so far and is scheduled to reach 1.6 million potential sites by mid-2016.
Sky struggling in broadband but winning for TV
Until now, Sky has been lagging well behind the other big telecoms players with its broadband offering.
It was charging €40 a month for its unlimited DSL broadband plans, but these rely on old, copper phone lines for delivery and have maximum speeds of 24Mb/s.
Sky Ireland managing director JD Buckley said the company was already the fastest-growing internet provider in Ireland and its fibre plans would “raise the bar further”.
It’s an important part of Sky’s continued commitment to invest in Ireland, which we’re doing through jobs, content production, and crucially through new products and services for our customers.”
The company had only 6.6% of all Irish broadband subscribers in June, compared to 37.2% for leader Eircom – most of whose customers are still using DSL services.
Bur despite having the best reach in Ireland, Eircom has struggled to sign up as many fibre customers as UPC, which has about twice as many broadband subscribers on its network.
Meanwhile, Sky has been the leader in signing up digital TV customers with an estimated 500,000 subscribers in Ireland, although it doesn’t provide exact figures for its trade in the Republic.
And it will be hoping the new fibre broadband offering will help it lure extra customers onto its more-expensive “triple-play” packs that include broadband, TV and phone calls.
Those bundles will start from €834 for the first year’s subscription, significantly higher than the cost for both Eircom and UPC’s fibre packages when digital TV is included.
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Somebody’s weekend is fcuked
Mine an all
As there was a potential loss of €9000 does that mean that the price of cigarettes is 75% tax?
Yes… if not more!
As little as €15 per 200 fags in Lanzarote. Nearly €10 per 10 here… ;)
So 3,000 euro of vodka would make 14,000 euro for the government. How are we in debt with economics like that?
So its real cash, real cigarettes and counterfeit Vodka! I’d never have guessed them in that order.
As I said before. Legal, regulated and taxed. And still criminals smuggle them.
Because of the crazy amount of tax !!
And you think weed won’t be any different?
And you think legalized Drugs would be any less taxed? And that criminals would say ho hum pack up and do something else?
Sh*t… Where will I get my counterfeit vodka now?
Never thought I’d say this but I’m off to louth
Its the bleary eyes and cough that gives the smugglers away each time.
What happens to the cash in these situations?
After the trial. And if there is a conviction the money goes to the Government as its proceeds of crime.
Balbriggan garda station, for safe keeping.:)
Rats out
Does it not go to the CAB Mick if its the proceeds of crime,I for one wouldn’t go near real vodka never mind counterfeit vodka meant to full of nasty chemicals,I no of students that I no over in England that drink it because its £5 a bottle and been a student they have no choice to buy and drink it cuz there on a tight budget,over there the off licence sells it to you from under the counter,everything is mostly counterfeit these days because theres a demand for it,and the government taxes the ass out of everything that moves its the governments fault as well partly cuz the more they keep taxing the more demand for counterfeit goods,that’s my opinion on it,sure there selling counterfeit chainsaws which are dangerous at the best of times,anyways that’s my rant over goodbye……….
The gathering cancelled
Looking at that money I wish I could get a loan :)
I hate you
Um.. What exactly is counterfeit vodka?
Are you taking the piss?
Is it paint thinner or something? Cuz they sell that in Tesco and call it value vodka..
Hi Rayne, apparently it’s homemade madness. Meth spirits and all sorts in it, probably some vodka too just to ‘water’ it down so to speak. You hear stories of lads going blind and getting very, very sick from a sesh on this stuff. I know some Eastern European pals who were telling me about the vats of stuff that would be made back home. Wild.
Yup that vodka is extremely dangerous its well known in Russia.
You can be sure that cash will not be secure in a garda safe.
The vodka is rot gutt!
Is the headline name what Charlie sheen eats for his breakfast?
Congratulations must go again to the Gardai who have again kicked carreer criminals where it hurts. Hopefully there wil be many many more similar seizures.
Ah jasus give us a break , I’m back on the Rollie’s now and will be forced to drink turps again after this bust .
This shite is killing me .
have your say