The document analyzes broadband internet service options for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland in 2011. It defines broadband and various technologies like ADSL. Key factors for SMEs in choosing a provider are discussed, like contention ratio and download/upload speeds. Companies providing broadband access in Ranelagh are listed. Six technological options for an SME are described and compared based on price, speeds, usage limits, and other details. The document concludes that the UTV Internet NGB 24MB Option 1 is the best choice for the SME as it has an uncongested contention ratio, unlimited usage, and is relatively inexpensive.

1. Researching Broadband
Internet Services available
to SMEs in Ireland 2011
Dylan Newe
N00082656

2. Ranelagh/Dublin 6 Broadband Service

3. What is Broadband?
 Broadband: A service or connection allowing high speed data transmission.
Broadband is typically an 'always on' service and is generally defined as
bandwidth between greater than 512Kbit/s, sometimes 2 Mbit/s. This group
of technologies is often referred to as: DSL or xDSL, capable of transforming
ordinary phone lines into high-speed digital lines, capable of supporting fast
Internet access. ADSL, HDSL (High speed data rate Digital Subscriber Line)
and VDSL (Very high data rate Digital Subscriber Line) are all variants of
xDSL.
 ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line): A technology that transforms
a normal telephone line into a high-speed digital line that enables access to
telephony services and the Internet at the same time.

4. Key Factors for SMEs in Choosing
a Broadband Provider
 Contention Ratio: Contention ratio refers to the bandwidth sharing between
a number of other users. To enable affordable broadband, your broadband
connection is actually shared with a number of other users. The number of
other users you share bandwidth, with, is what is called your "contention
ratio". Typical contention ratios for ADSL are around 50:1, meaning the lower
contention ratio the better!
 Download and Upload Speed: The faster your Internet connection speed,
the faster your uploading and downloading capability, therefore if you are a
user who uploads large files or other information over the Internet, you
should look for faster upload speeds. Both speeds are measured in kb/s,
which refers to kilobytes per second.

5. Companies providing Broadband
access to Ranelagh

6. Company Type of Medium of
Telecommunications Communication
UPC Broadband/Phone/TV Fibre Optic Cable
Digiweb Broadband/Phone ADSL
3 Mobile Mobile Broadband Dongle/USB
Meteor Mobile Broadband Dongle/USB
Smart Telecom Broadband/Phone/TV ADSL
Eircom/EMobile Broadband/Phone/ ADSL/USB
Mobile
Vodafone Broadband/Phone/ ADSL/USB
Mobile
QSAT Broadband/Phone/TV Satellite

7. Company Type of Medium of
Telecommunications Telecommunications
Magnet Broadband/Phone Fibre Optic Cable
Strencom Broadband ADSL
UTV Internet Broadband/Phone ADSL
Home Vision Broadband/Phone/TV ADSL
Imagine Wimax Broadband/Phone Wireless
02 Mobile Broadband Dongle/USB
Onwave Broadband Satellite
Airspeed Broadband Wireless

8. Six Technological Options for my SME
 UPC: “provides Ireland's fastest broadband, the TV you love
and Home Phone. We also offer the lowest everyday price.”
 QSAT: “provide satellite broadband, phone and TV or any
combination of to anywhere in Ireland by means of a low cost
high speed satellite system.”
 Eircom: “Fast, reliable broadband and phone and broadband
bundles”
 UTV: “Ireland's number one providers of cheap broadband
and telephone for business and residential customers.”
 Imagine: “better than other internet service providers by
delivering easy high speed internet and digital voice service.”
 Digiweb: “leading broadband, hosting and phone provider”

9.  Premium Business Broadband Package
Price €69 per month
Installation Fee €80
Download Speed 30Mbps
Upload Speed 3Mbps
Contention Ratio 5:1
Usage Capacity None

10. • Gold Business Broadband Package
Price €99.95 per month
Installation Fee None
Download Speed 8Mbps
Upload Speed 2Mbps
Contention Ratio N/A
Usage Capacity 20GB per month

11. • Value Business Plan 3Mb Bundle
Price €45 per month
Installation Fee Free
Download Speed 3Mbps
Upload Speed 384Kbps
Contention Ratio 48:1
Usage Capacity 30GB

12. • NGB 24MB Option 1
Price €29.99
Installation Fee Free
Download Speed 24Mbps
Upload Speed 768Kbps
Contention Ratio Uncongested
Usage Capacity None

13. • 3Mb Wimax Broadband Plan
Price €30 per month
Installation Fee €100
Download Speed 3Mbps
Upload Speed 256Kbps
Contention Ratio 48:1
Usage Capacity Unlimited

14. • Metro Advance Plan
Price €49.95
Installation Fee €49
Download Speed 8Mbps
Upload Speed 2Mbps
Contention Ratio 18:1
Usage Capacity 70GB

15.  I spoke to Jen Dunbar, Production Co-Ordinator at New
Decade, a new Film Production Company & SME located on
my street. http://www.newdecade.ie/index.html
 New Decade has a staff of less than 10, however as a small
& emerging company dealing with multimedia on a day-to-
day basis are reliant on a strong Broadband service.
 New Decade use UTV as their main Broadband providers but
also use eMobile as a separate Mobile Business connection
with all three of the production co-ordinators using USB
dongles and sometimes working from home.

16.  Jen told me: “The most important aspects of our broadband
requirements are for fast download/uploading speed as we tend to
send a lot of video files to clients via FTP sites. Tech spec versus
cost is definitely a concern however we are relatively happy with the
connection and haven’t really looked into other options in the last
few years.”
 When I asked about negative or restrictive issues
surrounding the service she replied “As far as restrictive issues
concerning the location of the building, the only problem we would
occasionally have is that one of the computer rooms seems to be
either too far away from the wireless eircom* transmitter to receive a
steady and strong signal, or the walls between are disturbing the
signal.”
 * UTV system allows them to become the default provider of services on another
Eircom line through reprogramming of the Eircom exchange

17. The Option that Suits my Business
best is….
 The UTV Internet NGB 24MB Option 1costs €35 a month,
features free connection & wireless router as well as an
uncongested contention ratio and unlimited usage.
 I would choose this as contention ratio is an increasingly
important component in the competitive Broadband market
and having an uncongested line means quicker speeds of
both uploading & downloading. Also, it is relatively cheap
compared to the other market competitors and allows
unlimited usage which is also key.

18. Bibliography
 http://www.broadband-suppliers.com/broadband-suppliers-
faqs/contention-ratio.htm
 http://www.askcomreg.ie/home/buzzwords_explained.57.LE.
asp
 http://broadband.about.com/od/speedissues/a/Broadband-
Internet-Speeds-Explained.htm
 http://www.digiweb.ie/business/products/connectivity/broadba
nd/metro/
 http://www.upc.ie/
 http://www.imagine.ie/
 http://www.qsat.ie/broadband
 http://business.eircom.net/broadband/products/bb/36/