Dublin: Europe's WiMax Capital

DUBLIN, November 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

- First to 4G - Recession-busting Technology Takes off in Ireland

The new broadband and phone network WiMax is now covering Ireland's capital Dublin as over 5,000 households per month sign up to the revolutionary 4G services with home-grown company Imagine.

Recession-hit Irish homeowners have been impressed with Imagine's fifty per cent cheaper broadband and phone prices on the WiMax network, compared to other operators.

High demand has allowed Imagine to pump capital into building out the WiMax network and increasing capacity in regional towns and cities across Ireland.

Industry sources now predict that former telecoms giant Eircom could lose an additional 50,000 customers in 2011 as homeowners switch to Imagine WiMax for faster speeds and savings of over EUR400 per year.

WiMax is not just about home phone and broadband, it can also be used on the move with a neat 4G dongle that plugs into a laptop. WiMax enables Internet browsing at an average of 10 times faster than the outdated 3G service, making it ideal for streaming videos, social networking and video chat.

The WiMax network extends from the likes of Tuam and Sligo in the west of Ireland, to Wexford in the south-east, Dundalk and Drogheda in the north-east and Youghal, Middletown and Killarney in the south-west.

Residents in the capital are among the first in Europe to experience an Internet hot-spot the size of a city, putting Dublin ahead of London, Paris and Berlin.

Imagine has also managed to roll-out the 4G network in traditional Internet black-spot areas such as Longford, Letterkenny, Cavan and Athlone. In Dublin, the WiMax bubble spreads from Ballinteer to Blackrock, Cabra to Crumlin, and Killester to Killiney.

"Imagine is delighted to bring Dublin residents and businesses a super-fast Internet and home phone experience at half the price of other products," said Brian O'Donohoe, Imagine's Managing Director. "Uptake among apartment dwellers has been particularly strong as it's very convenient and simple to use," he said.

Imagine's home phone "Talk Anytime" services start at only EUR20 per month, a 51 per cent saving on Eircom. Imagine's 4G unlimited Internet plan is EUR35 per month, a 50 per cent saving on Eircom. And combination packages, which bundle phone and broadband, start from EUR30 per month, a 36 per cent saving against Eircom's prices.

SOURCE Model Communications