What is the difference between Copper & Fibre Broadband?

Fibre to the Home (FTTH) is an access network method that delivers the highest possible speed of internet connection by using optical fibre that runs directly into the home, building or office. The SIRO network is built using the ESB’s overhead and underground infrastructure, ensuring a fast, reliable and sustainable network. Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) versus Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH). In an FTTC connection, copper is used for the last piece of the connection (from tens to hundreds of meters) connecting the telephone exchange cabinet on the street and the router in your house. All the speed-of-light goodness of fibre optics is lost during this last stretch, and that’s why FTTC delivers speeds of no more that 100Mbps. On the other hand, SIRO FTTH network connects 100% fibre optic cables all the way to your home, delivering speeds up to 2000Mbps (2Gb). Fibre is faster, more reliable, and superior to copper in many ways, as it removes all the bottlenecks commonly seen in a copper network. You can connect as many devices as you like, play HD games, watch Netflix and download movies without slowing down your connection.

The quickest way is to contact your current broadband retail provider, or while not specifically for copper broadband, you can also perform a speed test to check your current download speed. If your speed is lower than expected it might indicate that you’re on copper broadband network.

The SIRO 100% fibre network, provides homes across Ireland 99.99% uptime. The time that the internet service is available to the end customer in relation to the total time of the measurement period. Service levels are reported on a monthly basis.

SIRO SERVICE AVAILABILITY

July 23	Aug 23	Sep 23	Oct 23	Nov 23	Dec 23	Jan 24	Feb 24	Mar 24
99.999	99.998	99.999	99.999	99.999	99.999	99.999	99.999	99.996

First step check your Eircode, choose a retailer of your choice, place your order and choose an appointment time that works for you. Some homes may require an installation survey.

You can still connect to the SIRO network, but will be limited to those retailers can that do so without an Eircode. Please email your full address to info@siro.ie, and request your Premises ID. This number is unique to your property on our network. We will respond with your Premise ID, and a list of retailers for your area who will be able to accept an order, if you are unable to wait for your Eircode to be issued.

Copper switch-off refers to the planned discontinuation of the traditional copper broadband network. Copper is being switched off because it simply can’t meet the demands, of more bandwidth, higher speeds and greater data needs, now placed upon it. The transition will mean that homes and businesses will move to a full fibre network which is faster, more reliable and future proofed for decades to come - full fibre broadband.

It matters because the days of copper broadband are numbered. Ireland’s telecoms regulator, Comreg, has approved the commencement of the copper switch off process. Separately, the European Commission wants all copper broadband to be switched off across the EU by no later than 2030.

 

Not only will copper broadband be phased out but a wide range of devices currently dependent on copper will need to be upgraded to be compatible with modern broadband.  These include many everyday home and business devices, such as landline phones, house and fire alarms, medical and security monitors, lifts, retail sales terminals or CCTV systems.  

The European Commission has proposed 2030 as the deadline for this transition across the EU, meaning Ireland must also meet this target. It is time to prepare for this change now, to keep everything running smoothly and jump into the fast lane of fibre broadband.