If you’ve been keeping an eye on broadband developments lately, you’ve probably noticed a lot more buzz around Wi-Fi 7.
What is Wi-Fi 7 though? I hear you ask. Wi-Fi 7 is the seventh generation of wireless technology, following Wi-Fi 6 (2019) and Wi-Fi 6E (2020). Its official standard, 802.11be, was developed by the IEEE and launched by the Wi-Fi Alliance in January 2024, alongside new routers, phones, and laptops bearing the Wi-Fi 7 certification. To benefit from Wi-Fi 7, both your router and connected devices must support it (you can check certification via the Wi-Fi Alliance’s product finder).
How does Wi-Fi 7 work? Wi-Fi 7 still uses the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands like Wi-Fi 6E but doubles the 6GHz channel width from 160MHz to 320MHz. This is like expanding a two-lane road to four lanes, allowing much more data to flow at once.
When it comes to local broadband providers, eir is leading the charge here in Ireland, becoming the first to roll out Wi-Fi 7 connectivity with the launch of their new eir fibre box 7. This new router, unveiled at their HQ back in February, promises to future-proof your home network with cutting-edge speeds and reliability. I’ve been testing it alongside their revamped eir TV service for a few weeks to see how it performs in real-world conditions.
Setup
Installation was as smooth as you’d hope. My home was already set up with a fibre broadband connection, so swapping out my old router for the new eir fibre box 7 was painless – the eir installer simply had to plug it in, activate the connection point with a colleague and I was up and running within minutes.
It’s worth noting, though, that if you’re home is not already connected to the an existing fibre broadband network, some extra groundwork might be needed to get you fully set up. This could involve a bit more installation effort, depending on your home’s wiring and location.
Speeds and Performance
Where the new setup really shines is in speed and coverage. The eir fibre box 7 delivers up to 2Gb broadband, and testing on my Wi-Fi 7-ready devices – including the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and the PS5 Pro – I was easily hitting top speeds when close to the main router. Whether it was downloading large game files, streaming in 4K, or just keeping a dozen smart home gadgets running smoothly, the connection never faltered.
I also have a Wi-Fi 7 booster box upstairs, where I do most of my work. I’ve hardwired my work laptop directly into the booster, which guarantees rock-solid connectivity for Zoom calls and large file uploads, though, to be honest, the speeds are so good that it’s almost overkill for day-to-day office work.
My house has fairly thick, solid walls, and while the connection between the main hub and the booster did occasionally drop a little (the LED light strip on the front turned red a few times), it generally sorted itself out within minutes.
If the problems do persist, you can try to reconnect the booster box to the main hub by pressing the ‘WiFi Symbol’ button on the front of the hub and then the ‘+’ symbol on the booster box to try re-establish a connection.
One of the best bits? eir has announced that all 2Gb fibre customers using the WiFi 7 box will be upgraded to 5Gb speeds in June at no extra cost.
eir TV powered by Android TV
Alongside the new broadband kit, I’ve also been testing out eir’s updated TV service. The new eir TV box is powered by Android, giving you access to everything you’d expect from the Google TV ecosystem, including the Play Store.
The remote has Google Assistant built in, which makes searching for shows or launching apps as simple as pressing a button and speaking. The interface is clean, responsive, and felt snappier than some other TV boxes I’ve used recently.
The box itself is compact and well-designed, with ports for ethernet, optical audio, and USB Type A. It supports 4K Ultra HD playback with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, meaning your Netflix or Apple TV+ content will look and sound its best – provided your TV and speaker setup are compatible.
A nice bonus is that eir now throws in a full Amazon Prime Ireland membership (normally €6.99 a month) for all broadband and TV customers, which adds even more streaming content to the mix.
Storage-wise, you can record and store up to 500 movies, shows, and live broadcasts in the cloud, as the device doesn’t have a built in hard drive for recordings, and there’s also a 7-day catch-up feature, plus the ability to replay or restart selected programmes.
That said, one ongoing frustration is the legal wrangling around cloud recording. Channels like BBC One and RTÉ One can’t currently be recorded due to rights issues – something that also affects services like Virgin Media’s Streaming TV and Vodafone TV PLAY, so just something to note.
Hopefully, that’s something that gets sorted soon, but it’s a bit of a niggle if you’re a regular viewer of those channels. For multiroom setups, you can add another eir TV box for €9.99 a month.
eir WiFi 7 & eir TV Pricing & Availability
So, what’s the cost? Once you’ve confirmed fibre broadband is available at your home, eir’s 2Gb broadband package comes in at €49.99 a month for the first 24 months, increasing to €89.99 thereafter (with a €4 increase on top of that from April 26th, 2026). If you’re quick, there’s also an extra €100 off your bill if you switch to eir broadband online within the next 4 days. Adding the new eir TV option will set you back from €14.99 a month.
Conclusion
Overall, eir’s WiFi 7 rollout and new TV offering feel like a proper step into next-gen home connectivity. The speeds are excellent, the TV service is polished and easy to use, and the promise of 5Gb speeds in the near future is the cherry on top. There are a few wrinkles still to iron out, particularly around cloud recording restrictions, but on the whole, this feels like a seriously competitive package – especially for early adopters who want to future-proof their home internet.
REVIEW: eir WiFi 7 & Android-powered eir TV
- Overall
Summary
Overall, eir’s WiFi 7 rollout and new TV offering feel like a proper step into next-gen home connectivity.
