An analysis of Ireland's big three Mobile Networks
Published 18/02/18
Vodafone storms ahead, leaving everyone else fumbling
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I've said this before and I'll say it again, Vodafone's network team should be very proud of their work here in Ireland. They are now years ahead of any competitor, 3 or Eir, in terms of the sheer breadth of their 3G and 4G networks. Its network superiority, which it continues to bolster, is indisputable. Ookla, the world's most popular company for benchmarking mobile speeds has again awarded Vodafone the fastest mobile network with average download speeds of 24.33Mbps, 31.36% faster than the next fastest network, Eir. That's a huge discrepancy in terms of 4G speed, one that Vodafone's customers benefit from every time they use their phone.
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Things are even more shocking when it comes to coverage. If you're on 3, you'll have access to a 4G network which is significantly smaller than Vodafone's, according to OpenSignal. That's thousands of kilometers of land that Vodafone covers and 3 doesn't. Compared with Eir, things are a little closer. Eir's 4G network is almost as large as Vodafone's, having just 1% less 4G population coverage. In terms of geographical 4G coverage, Vodafone is still ahead of Eir by a noticeable margin.
When 3G networks are taken into account, it's a joke. Vodafone's 3G speeds are significantly faster than both Eir and 3, thanks in part to its dual carrier 3G technology which manages to bridge the gap between the 4G and 3G speeds in many areas.
Vodafone' 4G network is the only one in Ireland that isn't suffering from widespread congestion due to a lack of capacity or heavy data users. Its 4G network is consistently fast, according to Ookla. Vodafone's 4G+ network, which now boasts speeds of up to 300Mbps thanks to the use of Cat 6 4G carrier aggregation. I regularly achieve speeds above 90Mbps on Vodafone's 4G+ network, which is now live in many towns and cities. The same can't be said for Eir or 3, I've never managed to achieve speeds above 75Mbps on either of their networks.
The launch of 5G is rapidly approaching, and Vodafone has already demonstrated that it will be at the forefront of 5G innovation, paving the path towards Vodafone's vision of a Gigabit Society across Ireland. Vodafone recently tested 15Gbps speeds on its mobile network with Ericsson and has committed to launching a 5G network by 2020. Vodafone is the only network that is ready to launch 5G, 3 and Eir need to focus on improving their 4G network first. Vodafone secured the largest amount of spectrum of any network, paying €22.8 million for 85Mhz for use in rural areas and 105Mhz for use in cities in the 3.6GHz band in ComReg's 5G spectrum earlier last year. It will be interesting to see Vodafone's approach to 5G. If it will finally offer unlimited data, if it will promote 5G broadband as an alternative to fixed connections where 5G is faster, or if it's 5G launch will be as widespread as it's 4G launch. These are all relevant questions that will have to be answered soon.
Vodafone is now preparing to launch Voice over 4G, making it the first network in Ireland to do so. For the customer, calls will be clearer with faster set up times. For Vodafone, it will allow them to refarm more spectrum from their 2G and 3G networks for use in 4G, thereby providing more 4G capacity. It's also on track to launch WiFi Calling, following Eir's launch last year. Its NB-IoT network is one of the first in Europe, allowing millions of devices to connect to the Vodafone network. Vodafone is planning to launch new devices, such as pet trackers, to take advantage of the new NB-IoT network.
Vodafone has stormed ahead, into the abyss. To say that it won every single metric in Ookla's Speedtest Awards is impressive, but what's more impressive is its constant determination to connect Ireland, even in the most isolated of areas. It's not perfect by any means, it's plans are considerably less generous than those offered by Eir or 3, but for the customer, Vodafone delivers the best experience. It's unprecedented to have such large gaps between networks in the Irish telecommunications industry. Vodafone operates a monopoly in many areas because no other network is available there. So don't listen to 3 or Eir when they claim to have superior networks, it couldn't be further from the truth. I know one thing for certain, I'd rather give my money to Vodafone rather than any other network because I know they strive for quality over anything else, and that is a respectable trait in any company.
When 3G networks are taken into account, it's a joke. Vodafone's 3G speeds are significantly faster than both Eir and 3, thanks in part to its dual carrier 3G technology which manages to bridge the gap between the 4G and 3G speeds in many areas.
Vodafone' 4G network is the only one in Ireland that isn't suffering from widespread congestion due to a lack of capacity or heavy data users. Its 4G network is consistently fast, according to Ookla. Vodafone's 4G+ network, which now boasts speeds of up to 300Mbps thanks to the use of Cat 6 4G carrier aggregation. I regularly achieve speeds above 90Mbps on Vodafone's 4G+ network, which is now live in many towns and cities. The same can't be said for Eir or 3, I've never managed to achieve speeds above 75Mbps on either of their networks.
The launch of 5G is rapidly approaching, and Vodafone has already demonstrated that it will be at the forefront of 5G innovation, paving the path towards Vodafone's vision of a Gigabit Society across Ireland. Vodafone recently tested 15Gbps speeds on its mobile network with Ericsson and has committed to launching a 5G network by 2020. Vodafone is the only network that is ready to launch 5G, 3 and Eir need to focus on improving their 4G network first. Vodafone secured the largest amount of spectrum of any network, paying €22.8 million for 85Mhz for use in rural areas and 105Mhz for use in cities in the 3.6GHz band in ComReg's 5G spectrum earlier last year. It will be interesting to see Vodafone's approach to 5G. If it will finally offer unlimited data, if it will promote 5G broadband as an alternative to fixed connections where 5G is faster, or if it's 5G launch will be as widespread as it's 4G launch. These are all relevant questions that will have to be answered soon.
Vodafone is now preparing to launch Voice over 4G, making it the first network in Ireland to do so. For the customer, calls will be clearer with faster set up times. For Vodafone, it will allow them to refarm more spectrum from their 2G and 3G networks for use in 4G, thereby providing more 4G capacity. It's also on track to launch WiFi Calling, following Eir's launch last year. Its NB-IoT network is one of the first in Europe, allowing millions of devices to connect to the Vodafone network. Vodafone is planning to launch new devices, such as pet trackers, to take advantage of the new NB-IoT network.
Vodafone has stormed ahead, into the abyss. To say that it won every single metric in Ookla's Speedtest Awards is impressive, but what's more impressive is its constant determination to connect Ireland, even in the most isolated of areas. It's not perfect by any means, it's plans are considerably less generous than those offered by Eir or 3, but for the customer, Vodafone delivers the best experience. It's unprecedented to have such large gaps between networks in the Irish telecommunications industry. Vodafone operates a monopoly in many areas because no other network is available there. So don't listen to 3 or Eir when they claim to have superior networks, it couldn't be further from the truth. I know one thing for certain, I'd rather give my money to Vodafone rather than any other network because I know they strive for quality over anything else, and that is a respectable trait in any company.
The tunnel remains dark for 3 customers
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3's 'Big Upgrade' program has failed, miserably. It really is embarrassing for the company who constantly touts 'All you can Eat' data. Unfortunately, that data can't be eaten in the vast majority of places, it can only be nibbled on a 4G network that is excruciatingly slow. It's incredibly perplexing that 3 claims to be the network for heavy data users, Vodafone is. Why would someone who guzzles data choose 3, they would be waiting an eternity for everything to buffer and load. I know so many people who are intent on fleeing 3 but are locked into contracts. It's such irony, 3 is the worst network for data users who actually intend to use data. That fact is backed up by so many different testing organisations, including ComReg, OpenSignal, and Ookla.
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3 has the smallest and slowest 4G network in Ireland. I performed over 120 speed tests using Ookla's Speedtest app on 3's 4G and HSPA+ network. I never managed to reach speeds above 30Mbps, even in Dublin. In my area, I struggled to achieve 4G speeds above 0.3Mbps, in the same place Vodafone consistently achieves over 40Mbps and Eir achieves over 10Mbps. To say that it is a joke is conservative. Nonetheless, after contacting 3 multiple about the issues they concluded that such speeds were acceptable and that we should just deal with them. That is a very worrying response, one that 3 should be ashamed of.
'The Big Upgrade' is now 72% complete, according to 3's website. That worries me because it means the project is nearing completion and it's network remains appalling. In fairness to 3, upgrade work has been carried out in some places. Places such as Limerick, Ennis, and Longford are benefiting from improved 4G coverage and speeds. However, it is years behind Vodafone and even Eir. 3 have said that their 4G network will be larger and faster than Vodafone's when 'The Big Upgrade' is complete. For that to happen, there would need to be a paradigm shift within 3, and I don't see that happening.
3 has to contend with what Vodafone does not, exceptionally high data usage by its customers. More data is carried by the 3 network than Vodafone and Eir combined, that is an impressive statistic. But I can't even begin to imagine the volume of data that would be consumed if Vodafone opened the floodgates and offered true unlimited data across its plans. 3 has more capacity on its 4G network that Vodafone or Eir does, but it's still not enough. Its network still suffers from congestion in many areas. 3's recent offering of 750GB 4G mobile broadband for €30 monthly will only exacerbate the congestion issues.
3's 3G network is smaller and slower than Vodafone's and Eir's too. 3 customers (with 4G enabled phones and plans) spend more time on 3G than any other network, because of its poor 4G network. This means that the quality of 3's HSPA+ network remains important. 3's 3G network is significantly larger than Eir's, so that is one positive. But, it's network is slower and smaller than Vodafone's comparable 3G network. The high usage on 3's 3G network means it is more difficult for 3 to refarm spectrum from its 3G network to allocate to its 4G network.
Robert Finnegan, 3's CEO, has announced that 3 will launch 5G by 2020, a similar timeframe to Vodafone. 3 needs to get 5G right. It can't afford to screw up its 5G network like it did with 4G because 5G will be used to connect millions of more devices. 3 will invest €100 million a year in Ireland to facilitate the rollout of 5G. One of the benefits of 5G is that it will provide significantly more capacity, something that 3 needs desperately. Hopefully, all you can eat 5G will be something that becomes more widespread. 3 managed to secure 100MHz of nationwide spectrum for €20.3 million in ComReg's 3.6GHz spectrum auction last year. 3 claims that this will allow it to be the only network that will be capable of providing the same capacity in Dublin as in a rural area such as Donegal. It's also been suggested that 3 will initially pursue 5G as an alternative to fixed broadband.
To conclude, the tunnel remains dark for 3 customers but there is light coming. 3's 4G network remains years behind everyone else, and that directly affects 3's customers. All you can eat data sounds brilliant, but it's far from it. Heck, at one point I had no signal in the middle of Dublin. 3 needs a reality check if it thinks 0.3Mbps 4G is acceptable in any scenario. I am truly sorry for the 3 customers that are trapped in contacts and are desperately making every effort to move to Vodafone or Eir. 3 is already touting how 5G will deliver breakneck speeds, but I think they need to fix their crippled 4G network first, or otherwise, many customers will continue to think that they are the dirt on the end of 3's shoes.
'The Big Upgrade' is now 72% complete, according to 3's website. That worries me because it means the project is nearing completion and it's network remains appalling. In fairness to 3, upgrade work has been carried out in some places. Places such as Limerick, Ennis, and Longford are benefiting from improved 4G coverage and speeds. However, it is years behind Vodafone and even Eir. 3 have said that their 4G network will be larger and faster than Vodafone's when 'The Big Upgrade' is complete. For that to happen, there would need to be a paradigm shift within 3, and I don't see that happening.
3 has to contend with what Vodafone does not, exceptionally high data usage by its customers. More data is carried by the 3 network than Vodafone and Eir combined, that is an impressive statistic. But I can't even begin to imagine the volume of data that would be consumed if Vodafone opened the floodgates and offered true unlimited data across its plans. 3 has more capacity on its 4G network that Vodafone or Eir does, but it's still not enough. Its network still suffers from congestion in many areas. 3's recent offering of 750GB 4G mobile broadband for €30 monthly will only exacerbate the congestion issues.
3's 3G network is smaller and slower than Vodafone's and Eir's too. 3 customers (with 4G enabled phones and plans) spend more time on 3G than any other network, because of its poor 4G network. This means that the quality of 3's HSPA+ network remains important. 3's 3G network is significantly larger than Eir's, so that is one positive. But, it's network is slower and smaller than Vodafone's comparable 3G network. The high usage on 3's 3G network means it is more difficult for 3 to refarm spectrum from its 3G network to allocate to its 4G network.
Robert Finnegan, 3's CEO, has announced that 3 will launch 5G by 2020, a similar timeframe to Vodafone. 3 needs to get 5G right. It can't afford to screw up its 5G network like it did with 4G because 5G will be used to connect millions of more devices. 3 will invest €100 million a year in Ireland to facilitate the rollout of 5G. One of the benefits of 5G is that it will provide significantly more capacity, something that 3 needs desperately. Hopefully, all you can eat 5G will be something that becomes more widespread. 3 managed to secure 100MHz of nationwide spectrum for €20.3 million in ComReg's 3.6GHz spectrum auction last year. 3 claims that this will allow it to be the only network that will be capable of providing the same capacity in Dublin as in a rural area such as Donegal. It's also been suggested that 3 will initially pursue 5G as an alternative to fixed broadband.
To conclude, the tunnel remains dark for 3 customers but there is light coming. 3's 4G network remains years behind everyone else, and that directly affects 3's customers. All you can eat data sounds brilliant, but it's far from it. Heck, at one point I had no signal in the middle of Dublin. 3 needs a reality check if it thinks 0.3Mbps 4G is acceptable in any scenario. I am truly sorry for the 3 customers that are trapped in contacts and are desperately making every effort to move to Vodafone or Eir. 3 is already touting how 5G will deliver breakneck speeds, but I think they need to fix their crippled 4G network first, or otherwise, many customers will continue to think that they are the dirt on the end of 3's shoes.
Eir's network is tanking
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Change really is in the air at Eir. It's withdrawn from the National Broadband Plan, and the resulting saga has been interesting to watch. Xavier Niel, a French billionaire, has bought a majority stake in Eir. So the company can no longer boast about its Irish roots. This has led many to assume that Eir is now refocusing its strategy on delivering broadband to urban areas with less of a priority for rural areas. Furthermore, Eir merged with its subsidiary, Meteor, last year to streamline its offering in the mobile space. Eir mobile is Ireland's third largest mobile network, with many of its customers taking advantage of quad-play offerings from Eir. The Meteor brand is dead, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. You see, living life on Eir can be quite frustrating. You are constantly bombarded with offers and Eir is the type of company that likes to make noise. They say that they have the 'best this, the best that' even if they actually don't have the best anything. Take for example their claims of having Ireland's largest 4G network, it's simply not true.
I have more respect for Eir's network than I do for 3's because it is so much better in virtually every way. Eir's 4G network is almost as large as Vodafone's, as previously mentioned. It's 4G network trumps 3's in terms of coverage, according to OpenSignal. However, something very worrying has occurred on Eir's 4G network over the last year, It's 4G speeds are tanking. According to Ookla, Eir's average 4G speeds have dived from 25.19Mbps in 2015 to 16.70Mbps in 2017. That's a huge decline that can only be attributed to one thing: congestion. Ever since Meteor, now Eir, began zero-rating services such as YouTube and Whatsapp, customers data usage has exploded. Customers are taking advantage of this 'free' data and it's having a massive toll on Eir's mobile network. Eir's 4G network has less capacity than both Vodafone and 3, yet its customers use more data than Vodafone's do. That is a recipe for disaster, it's why the Eir network is choking.
I am personally testing an Eir SIM and I can confirm that its 4G speeds are continuing to fall. In many places, Eir's 4G struggles to exceed 10Mbps due to congestion. There have been some scenarios where 3's 4G network has outperformed Eir's in terms of speed, but that is a rarity. It should still worry Eir though, if its 4G speeds continue to fall, it won't be long before 3 passes it out. Eir acquired the smallest portion of the spectrum in ComReg's 4G auction back in 2012, so it is limited in what it can do.
Eir became the first network to launch WiFi Calling last year, however, the service is limited to a select number of plans and devices so it is useless for many Eir customers. Eir's 4G+ network is smaller than both Vodafone and 3's, so there is a severe lack of capacity in ultra-dense areas such as concerts, festivals, etc.
Eir really does need to increase its 4G capacity before their network is crippled further. That said, its 4G coverage is much more expansive than 3's network and competes with Vodafone in some areas. Eir has yet to announce any plans for 5G, but it was the first to launch 4G in Ireland so I wouldn't worry. It's a pity that 4G speeds are collapsing because Eir is really the only viable alternative to Vodafone's 4G network.
I have more respect for Eir's network than I do for 3's because it is so much better in virtually every way. Eir's 4G network is almost as large as Vodafone's, as previously mentioned. It's 4G network trumps 3's in terms of coverage, according to OpenSignal. However, something very worrying has occurred on Eir's 4G network over the last year, It's 4G speeds are tanking. According to Ookla, Eir's average 4G speeds have dived from 25.19Mbps in 2015 to 16.70Mbps in 2017. That's a huge decline that can only be attributed to one thing: congestion. Ever since Meteor, now Eir, began zero-rating services such as YouTube and Whatsapp, customers data usage has exploded. Customers are taking advantage of this 'free' data and it's having a massive toll on Eir's mobile network. Eir's 4G network has less capacity than both Vodafone and 3, yet its customers use more data than Vodafone's do. That is a recipe for disaster, it's why the Eir network is choking.
I am personally testing an Eir SIM and I can confirm that its 4G speeds are continuing to fall. In many places, Eir's 4G struggles to exceed 10Mbps due to congestion. There have been some scenarios where 3's 4G network has outperformed Eir's in terms of speed, but that is a rarity. It should still worry Eir though, if its 4G speeds continue to fall, it won't be long before 3 passes it out. Eir acquired the smallest portion of the spectrum in ComReg's 4G auction back in 2012, so it is limited in what it can do.
Eir became the first network to launch WiFi Calling last year, however, the service is limited to a select number of plans and devices so it is useless for many Eir customers. Eir's 4G+ network is smaller than both Vodafone and 3's, so there is a severe lack of capacity in ultra-dense areas such as concerts, festivals, etc.
Eir really does need to increase its 4G capacity before their network is crippled further. That said, its 4G coverage is much more expansive than 3's network and competes with Vodafone in some areas. Eir has yet to announce any plans for 5G, but it was the first to launch 4G in Ireland so I wouldn't worry. It's a pity that 4G speeds are collapsing because Eir is really the only viable alternative to Vodafone's 4G network.
Shown below is Ookla's Speedtest results for cities and large urban areas. Vodafone's 4G network was the fastest in nine out of the ten locations.
Shown below is the average 4G download speeds for Ireland's mobile networks, courtesy of Ookla.
