Embarking on a trip to Ireland and wondering about staying connected? You’re probably considering portable WiFi Ireland options and how best to ensure a seamless internet connection while exploring our magnificent Emerald Isle.
It can be quite a puzzle figuring out if a portable WiFi device is indeed the best choice, and if so, where to secure one. As local’s who understand the nuances of Ireland’s digital landscape, we’re here to help.
This blog post is designed for you, our dear travellers, to ensure that while you soak in the beauty of Ireland, you never miss a beat online.
We’re going to tell you the different ways to stay connected while on your trip to Ireland, both when it comes to internet connection and making calls. We’ll also tell you the best way to ensure you can always communicate in either capacity.
So, let’s venture together into this realm of connectivity, combining our love for travel with the need for digital access. Let’s get connected!
Portable WiFi Ireland options for staying connected on the Emerald Isle
In the digital age that we live in, staying connected while we travel goes hand-in-hand, and finding the best option can sometimes be a minefield.
For those going to the Emerald Isle, we have compiled a list of the best WiFi Ireland options available for travellers that includes portable WiFi Ireland devices for traveling, local SIM cards and another, far easier option.
Staying connected is important and while B&B’s and hotels usually have good complimentary WiFi, only some cafés, pubs, restaurants, and tourist attractions will offer it.
However, that said, you should be aware that even the best data plans in Ireland won’t work in the more remote locations due to poor infrastructure for supporting wireless connection.
Some of our My Irish Cousins have experienced this is in places in the likes of Donegal and Wexford, where there was no wireless data connection at all.
If this happens, how do you navigate? How do you cancel a restaurant reservation? How do you tell your next accommodation hosts that you are running late if you cannot use WiFi?
You also need to be aware that if your rental car breaks down in rural areas, you need to be able to make a local call to get roadside assistance to your location to help or rescue you.
Let’s look at the most popular options for staying connected in Ireland and discover an option that is perfect all round, both for WiFi connection and making local calls.
Get an international package from your mobile carrier
The first portable internet Ireland option for travellers is getting an international package from your cell phone service provider.
This can be a straight-forward option and means you can use your own cell phone as you would normally use it at home. But there is a catch.
International plans with cell phone service providers often work out expensive, at an average of $10 per day, per person. These often come with data limits and if you go over, you will either lose connectivity or be charged even more and often at a premium.
If you are travelling as a party of 5 who all want a plan for connectivity, this can work out extremely expensive over the course of a week or two-week trip to Ireland.
Getting this option means you also need to remember to turn off push notifications on your phone as they can eat up your daily data limit without you realising.
Use a local SIM
The second option for staying connected and having portable WiFi in Ireland is to purchase a local SIM Card when you land. These can come with prepaid WiFi Ireland data and minutes for local calls, but generally do not include international calls, and the data plan may be limited.
However, this also requires you to have an unlocked cell phone, which many US cell phones are not. Unless your cell phone is unlocked, you won’t be able to use a local SIM card in it.
And to use a local SIM for WiFi, you must have good, strong wireless data connectivity wherever you are. If you do not have personal connectivity, you won’t be able to WhatsApp anyone, send Facebook or Instagram messages, or even emails to let your accommodation know you are running late.
The connection may also not be strong enough to allow it to be used as a hotspot for other devices.
There are also e-SIM options that you can purchase, install, and activate via an app before you travel but again, if there is no local data connectivity, you will not have internet access.
And, both a local SIM and e-SIM option can work out expensive if everyone needs one to stay connected.
Use a portable WiFi device for travel
A popular choice for many travellers to Ireland is to get one of the many portable WiFi devices for traveling that are on the market.
These types of mobile WiFi devices for Ireland can provide connectivity for up to 10 devices (perfect for large parties), can help with navigation, allow you to stay in touch and share your trip via Facebook and Instagram, aid remote working and help keep everyone entertained, especially on long road trips.
Portable WiFi for travel abroad can be a great choice and you can either get one at home or can often pick up your pocket WiFi for Ireland at the airport when you land.
They can be cost-effective, simple, convenient, and also practical. They can work out cheaper than individual international plans or local SIM cards for everyone.
However, again, if the local data connectivity is not strong enough in the area you are staying or visiting, then you won’t be able to get connected to the internet. In fact, no-one in your party will. And wireless connectivity can be quite patchy in many parts of Ireland such as deepest, darkest Donegal, or in the wilds of Wexford, as we’ve already mentioned.
Use free WiFi in Ireland
Now of course, you could use local free WiFi in Ireland such as at your B&B, hotel or in local cafés, pubs, or restaurants. Even some tourist attractions have free WiFi.
But, while this is the cheapest option, this is no good to you if you are trying to navigate your way to Clonmacnoise and haven’t downloaded your map and route to your phone to use offline!
Use a phone rental Ireland option
While you could purchase a local prepaid phone with a basic plan to use as a portable WiFi hotspot, Ireland providers lock these phones to their network and what good is the device to you afterwards.
With basic plans, your data in limited and costs will increase significantly if the kids are trying to watch yet another film on Disney+.
What you can do instead is choose to rent a phone in Ireland that will act as portable WiFi for travel, portable WiFi for phones, portable WiFi for laptops and tablets, and will have both local call abilities (very important for calling roadside assistance if your rental cal breaks down) and international minutes, meaning you can update grandma back in the US as you travel (see below for more information).
Local rental phones connect to local networks, will have local phone call abilities, and are more likely to have strong wireless connection to the local network than pocket WiFi devices.
And at the end of your trip, you can return it easily and without worrying what to do with a locked cell phone.
Which is the best option for having WiFi in Ireland?
While having a device for portable WiFi to use abroad can seem like the best option, it falls flat on its face when there is weak or no wireless data connection in the most remote locations in Ireland.
And if there is no wireless data connection, how do you contact anyone, tell a host you are running late, or even call breakdown assistance if your hire car breaks down?
To overcome this, we recommend renting a local phone in Ireland via SIMPHONE, which acts as both a local cell phone with local minutes and will have WiFi connection where the infrastructure supports wireless connectivity.
SIMPHONE even comes with international minutes, meaning you can stay in touch with friends and family at home while you explore the Emerald Isle.
How does SIMPHONE work?
Renting a cell phone via SIMPHONE is easy. The phone acts as both portable WiFi on the go and as a regular local and international cell phone.
To get your phone rental in Ireland, simply visit the SIMPHONE website, select your dates, reserve your phone, pick it up at the airport, in Dublin City Centre or arrange to have it delivered to your accommodation, and enjoy your trip.
Then use the prepaid return envelope to send it back at the end of your trip. You can bring the sealed envelope to a Post Office, ask your accommodation to post the parcel for you, or use the post box in Dublin Airport in the T1 Arrivals Hall next to the excess baggage storage.
How much does SIMPHONE cost?
Renting a phone via SIMPHONE is the best-value option for staying connected in Ireland.
It costs just €8 per day, plus €15 delivery for the phone covering your whole party as a WiFi hotspot in Ireland. Many international plans with US providers are $10 per day, per person and charges can still appear on your bill when you get home.
Up to 10 devices can connect to it easily for WiFi, and you also have both local and international minutes allowances included in your package.
There is an optional €20 insurance (per trip, not per day) that covers the phone for damage, Note that for those who choose not to take out the insurance, an excess of €250 will be applied for theft, or loss.
Why rent a phone in Ireland via SIMPHONE?
Renting a local cell phone in Ireland via SIMPHONE means you will have:
- Portable WiFi on the go in Ireland.
- WiFi connectivity for up to 10 devices, just like other pocket WiFi devices.
- Unlimited data, meaning no extra data charges or loss of data completely.
- A local SIM with both local and international minutes, meaning you can always call someone if you break down or are running late, unlike with other portable WiFi devices or eSim, where you can’t make a landline call
- Best value all round.
Benefits of renting a local phone in Ireland via SIMPHONE
- Best way to ensure fast, reliable internet connection.
- The whole party can use it.
- Works out cheaper than individual international roaming plans or individual local SIMs.
- Can connect up to 10 devices at the same time including phones, tablets, and laptops.
- Unlimited data. 5G
- Local call minutes.
- International call minutes.
- No worries about extra charges due to data usage or international roaming charges.
- Easy pick up at Dublin Airport, Dublin City Centre, or your accommodation, and return via the prepaid return envelope.
- Optional insurance covers you for theft, loss, damage, or late return fees incurred for one charge of €20.
Final thoughts on the best Portable WiFi Ireland options
While there are many options for portable WiFi for travellers to Ireland, the vast majority rely on the wireless support infrastructure in the country.
Where this is lacking, and as a result there is little or no wireless network available, stand-alone portable WiFi devices will not work, meaning travellers could find themselves stranded with no way of communicating. Not ideal in the case of a breakdown.
To overcome this, we recommend renting a phone in Ireland to act as both a local cell phone and as a pocket WiFi device that can allow up to 10 devices to connect to WiFi while still having the ability to make local calls for help or to change reservations.
And the best place to rent a phone in Ireland to use as a portable WiFi device for travel is SIMPHONE.
Frequently Asked Questions about Portable WiFi in Ireland
The best option for staying connected while in Ireland is a rental phone with SIMPHONE, which can act as a both a portable WiFi device or hotspot in Ireland for up to 10 devices, as well as having local call and international call minutes included.
Yes, there are options for portable WiFi in Ireland for travel including stand-alone devices Stand alone WiFi devices may not work in N.Ireland whereas a SIMPHONE will work throught the island of Ireland.
The cost for having portable WiFi in Ireland depends on the device you are using, length of time and whether it is a stand-alone device. A local rental phone through SIMPHONE costs less than €10 per day, less than a portable WiFi device.
Portable WiFi in Ireland works the same as it does in any other country. The device converts regular telecom signals into WiFi signals. The telecom signals typically needed are 4G and 5G to convert into WiFi signals.
Connections below this such as H+, 3G, and Edge are usually not strong enough to allow a pocket WiFi device to convert the mobile signal to a WiFi signal, especially in rural Ireland. So, if you rent portable WiFi for travel in Ireland, you will be limited by the telecom signal where you are going to be staying and visiting in order to use one.
Usually, high-speed data is limited with portable WiFi devices, but check with the provider first. SIMPHONE WiFi phone rentals provide unlimited 5G high-speed data in Ireland through the Vodafone network.
If the telecom signal in the area you are visiting in Ireland is not of sufficient strength, your portable WiFi device will not work.
The best portable WiFi for travel to Ireland is a rental phone via SIMPHONE. As well as acting as a portable WiFi device for up to 10 devices, it also has local and international minute allowances, meaning that even where the telecom signal is not strong enough for WiFi, you will always be able to make a phone call when necessary.
