My Recent Experiences in Ireland - Minutes and Data
 

I posted a few questions on this Board before my trip to Ireland. Having just been there, I will post my findings now.

Best for Voice: Hands down the best option was Tesco Mobile. Tesco is everywhere, and they all sell their SIM cards at the cashiers where one leaves the store. Tesco utilizes the O2 network.

The SIM is free with a 10 EUR topup. They will hand you a SIM and a piece of paper with the topup code. There is no registration or ID requirement in Ireland, so you just put your SIM in the phone, follow the instructions to topup, and you're up and running. The rates to the US, Canada, and many other countries are 2 cents per minute - with no setup charge. If you talk for a minute, you pay 2 cents. Calls within Ireland are 20 cents per minute, however, the topup is doubled for calls within Ireland for 30 days after topup so you pay effectively 10 cents per minute. If you really wanted to game it you could call a Betamax type number in the US to make your calls to Ireland.

The data on Tesco was slow, so I can't recommend it. It seemed to be 2G despite claims it was 3G. The other problem with Tesco for data is that if you look at the website, you have to opt in to a data bundle. When you go past your allotment from the bundle, you are charged a very high rate for overages (unlike Meteor.)

Data: I used Meteor (I carry two phones.) The default plan charges 69 cents for 50MB per day, with 2 cents for each additional MB. The speed was excellent (I think between 2 and 3 Mbps), and I have no complaints (I was, however, in Dublin the entire time so I can's speak for rural reception.)

You can buy from a Meteor shop or a Carphone Warehouse, cost is 10 EUR topup gives you a free SIM.

You will need to get the APN information.

Meteor apn/ web settings etc....

Meteor - Smartphone Support

Any recent tips/offers? I need data for about a week or so (from a little to a lot, depending what's available) - but I would also like to get the Vodafone Ireland SIM as it was the best some time ago for (EU data) roaming, I wonder if this is still the case.

That Vodafone deal is finished. It was great while it lasted - but it was only July & August last year.

Best sticking with Meteor. They also give free unlimited access to the national network of WiFi hotspots operated by their parent Eircom - Dublin Airport, many hotels etc. Meteor offers free incoming voice Roaming across Europe - but this doesn't include data.

Thanks a lot for the answer, first Vodafone shop wanted 20 euro for the card (10 euro card, 10 euro credit) and I thought 20 euros for what was in the end only half a day around the city was totally not worth it.
We really need some kind of acceptable (at least) EU-wide roaming data plan, I'm getting too old for these games. And Ireland is one of the "good" countries with plenty of good data plans and without any paperwork for the prepaid SIMs...

You could have got a free Voice/Data SIM from Meteor and topped up with the minimum €5 top-up. 69c would have given you 50MBytes per day with the rest of your €5 left for voice/text. You would then have had a Meteor SIM to use for free incoming voice roaming anywhere in Europe. Alternatively, you could have got a Meteor data-only SIM with 1-day pass for €2.99.

I wish I could find deals like this when I travel outside Ireland for short trips. It is not easy to get deals as cheap as this in most other countries. I agree with you - that we need a better solution for cheap data roaming across Europe.