Overall satisfaction by price-conscious consumers
A large majority of Maltese internet users are happy with the quality of internet access. An even bigger percentage of mobile phone users are satisfied with the service provided by their mobile operator but they are price conscious and think mobile...
A large majority of Maltese internet users are happy with the quality of internet access. An even bigger percentage of mobile phone users are satisfied with the service provided by their mobile operator but they are price conscious and think mobile calls are expensive. More than a third of Maltese telephone/mobile users are not aware they can change service provider and retain the same number. The majority of digital cable TV watchers think their service is expensive compared to a small percentage of digital terrestrial users who think the same.
In a nutshell, there is overall satisfaction with the quality of service offered by Maltese communication service providers.
These are the major findings of four consumer surveys commissioned by the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) on the use of mobile telephony, fixed-line telephony, internet access and broadcasting services carried out earlier this year by EMCS.
The MCA said the results of these surveys will help it make more informed decisions with respect to the analysis of the local communication markets as well as in designing better regulatory measures.
The survey on internet use revealed that 56 per cent of interviewees had a connection at home. Among those without access, only 13 per cent are considering getting an internet connection at home, the others claiming no one knows how to use it or that no one needs it.
The drive in recent years to increase the use of broadband high-speed internet access seems to have paid its dividends as 85 per cent of internet access at home is of this type while only eight per cent is dial-up. The type of broadband technology used is split in two camps of almost the same size: 46 per cent of users are on ADSL and 39 per cent on cable internet. The majority of broadband users would still hang on to this type of connection even though the prices go up rather than switch back to the much slower, but cheaper dial-up system. The infrequent use of internet is the main reason given for retaining a dial-up connection.
A slight majority (57) of interviewees with an internet connection said they have never changed their internet service provider (ISP), while 24 per cent have changed because of low speed and often losing the connection. Switching between ADSL and cable internet is not so common either, done by only seven to nine per cent. Indeed, cable internet and ADSL are regarded as similar technologies which do not offer any significant advantages over each other.
The increasing loyalty towards ISPs seems to be confirmed by the fact that 81 per cent are satisfied with the quality of their internet connection. The most sought-after qualities are speed (36 per cent), good connection (32 per cent) and good price (17 per cent). Then again 41 per cent think access is expensive, 40 per cent think it's reasonably priced, while 18 per cent do not know.
The survey among mobile phone users was carried out last March and the MCA made it clear that although interviews were held mainly in the evenings, the sample remained skewed towards female respondents as 67 per cent.
As expected, 77.3 per cent owned a personal mobile phone and 19.8 per cent did not have one and did not intend to get one. Pre-paid is the most popular payment method with 95 per cent and a 56.7 spend on average up to Lm5 (€11.65) a month. Only 2.2 per cent spend more than Lm20 (€46.6)
Almost 94 per cent are happy with the general service they get. Indeed only three to four per cent have switched from Go Mobile to Vodafone Malta and vice-versa, and the main reasons are better products or services as well as better quality of service. However, loyalty comes into question if prices of calls are raised by five to10 per cent, and 60 per cent would consider switching operator. Half of respondents would also make more use of their landline telephone.
Information on tariffs and how mobile companies operate is not so diffused among mobile users. Only 57 per cent knew they could switch operator and yet keep the same mobile number.
Almost 57 per cent do not know how much a mobile phone call costs or are not sure about the price. Despite this lack of awareness users still think mobile calls are expensive (62).
Internet access via mobile phones is very low (89 per cent never accessed it) but 87 per cent have used the phone while abroad. The main reason for not using it abroad is the high roaming tariffs. There again, almost 59 per cent of respondents said they did not bother check the roaming tariffs before going abroad.
The survey on fixed-line telephony users revealed that alternatives to Go (formerly Maltacom) services, which still hold almost 95 per cent of the market, are making inroads. Number portability in this sector is unknown to 37.1 per cent. Almost half do not know how much they pay for a call to the same operator and 80 per cent don't know the tariff to phone to another network. A small percentage is ready to switch operator and the price is the major factor and not quality. Indeed 68.4 per cent said they have a good service and 29.8 said it is of reasonable quality.
A slight majority (55.8) think same-operator calls are expensive, but 84.4 per cent said calls to mobile phones are expensive. However, around 85 per cent think international calls from their fixed-line telephone are cheap or reasonably priced. Once again Go's 1021 international VoIP service is used by 73.5 per cent, having taken over the market from the smaller independent VoIP that pioneered the service when it was launched a few years ago.
The survey on broadcast services confirmed that only 0.5 per cent of households do not have at least one TV set. The majority of TV sets, 83 per cent, are of the traditional type and only nine per cent are flat screen/plasma (and of the latter only a third are HD-ready).
Around two-thirds of digital cable and digital terrestrial subscribers are satisfied with the quality of the service but 62 per cent of the former think it's expensive or very expensive, compared to only 29 per cent of digital terrestrial subscribers who say so. Satellite TV owners make only 16 per cent of the interviewed sample and 43 per cent think it's expensive or very expensive. Only 34 per cent are fully satisfied with the service while 39 per cent are not.
The MCA said similar surveys will be conducted in the near future.
In a nutshell, there is overall satisfaction with the quality of service offered by Maltese communication service providers.
These are the major findings of four consumer surveys commissioned by the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) on the use of mobile telephony, fixed-line telephony, internet access and broadcasting services carried out earlier this year by EMCS.
The MCA said the results of these surveys will help it make more informed decisions with respect to the analysis of the local communication markets as well as in designing better regulatory measures.
The survey on internet use revealed that 56 per cent of interviewees had a connection at home. Among those without access, only 13 per cent are considering getting an internet connection at home, the others claiming no one knows how to use it or that no one needs it.
The drive in recent years to increase the use of broadband high-speed internet access seems to have paid its dividends as 85 per cent of internet access at home is of this type while only eight per cent is dial-up. The type of broadband technology used is split in two camps of almost the same size: 46 per cent of users are on ADSL and 39 per cent on cable internet. The majority of broadband users would still hang on to this type of connection even though the prices go up rather than switch back to the much slower, but cheaper dial-up system. The infrequent use of internet is the main reason given for retaining a dial-up connection.
A slight majority (57) of interviewees with an internet connection said they have never changed their internet service provider (ISP), while 24 per cent have changed because of low speed and often losing the connection. Switching between ADSL and cable internet is not so common either, done by only seven to nine per cent. Indeed, cable internet and ADSL are regarded as similar technologies which do not offer any significant advantages over each other.
The increasing loyalty towards ISPs seems to be confirmed by the fact that 81 per cent are satisfied with the quality of their internet connection. The most sought-after qualities are speed (36 per cent), good connection (32 per cent) and good price (17 per cent). Then again 41 per cent think access is expensive, 40 per cent think it's reasonably priced, while 18 per cent do not know.
The survey among mobile phone users was carried out last March and the MCA made it clear that although interviews were held mainly in the evenings, the sample remained skewed towards female respondents as 67 per cent.
As expected, 77.3 per cent owned a personal mobile phone and 19.8 per cent did not have one and did not intend to get one. Pre-paid is the most popular payment method with 95 per cent and a 56.7 spend on average up to Lm5 (€11.65) a month. Only 2.2 per cent spend more than Lm20 (€46.6)
Almost 94 per cent are happy with the general service they get. Indeed only three to four per cent have switched from Go Mobile to Vodafone Malta and vice-versa, and the main reasons are better products or services as well as better quality of service. However, loyalty comes into question if prices of calls are raised by five to10 per cent, and 60 per cent would consider switching operator. Half of respondents would also make more use of their landline telephone.
Information on tariffs and how mobile companies operate is not so diffused among mobile users. Only 57 per cent knew they could switch operator and yet keep the same mobile number.
Almost 57 per cent do not know how much a mobile phone call costs or are not sure about the price. Despite this lack of awareness users still think mobile calls are expensive (62).
Internet access via mobile phones is very low (89 per cent never accessed it) but 87 per cent have used the phone while abroad. The main reason for not using it abroad is the high roaming tariffs. There again, almost 59 per cent of respondents said they did not bother check the roaming tariffs before going abroad.
The survey on fixed-line telephony users revealed that alternatives to Go (formerly Maltacom) services, which still hold almost 95 per cent of the market, are making inroads. Number portability in this sector is unknown to 37.1 per cent. Almost half do not know how much they pay for a call to the same operator and 80 per cent don't know the tariff to phone to another network. A small percentage is ready to switch operator and the price is the major factor and not quality. Indeed 68.4 per cent said they have a good service and 29.8 said it is of reasonable quality.
A slight majority (55.8) think same-operator calls are expensive, but 84.4 per cent said calls to mobile phones are expensive. However, around 85 per cent think international calls from their fixed-line telephone are cheap or reasonably priced. Once again Go's 1021 international VoIP service is used by 73.5 per cent, having taken over the market from the smaller independent VoIP that pioneered the service when it was launched a few years ago.
The survey on broadcast services confirmed that only 0.5 per cent of households do not have at least one TV set. The majority of TV sets, 83 per cent, are of the traditional type and only nine per cent are flat screen/plasma (and of the latter only a third are HD-ready).
Around two-thirds of digital cable and digital terrestrial subscribers are satisfied with the quality of the service but 62 per cent of the former think it's expensive or very expensive, compared to only 29 per cent of digital terrestrial subscribers who say so. Satellite TV owners make only 16 per cent of the interviewed sample and 43 per cent think it's expensive or very expensive. Only 34 per cent are fully satisfied with the service while 39 per cent are not.
The MCA said similar surveys will be conducted in the near future.