A quarter of European internet users say they are prevented by their providers from watching videos, listening to music or using other applications of their choice, according to a new Eurobarometer survey of 28,000 citizens across the EU.
But Maltese users seem quite satisfied with the quality of their internet service in this respect and do not report their internet access blocked to the same extent as the rest of the continent.
The survey revealed that across the EU an average 41 per cent experience problems watching a video on a mobile device and 37 per cent on the fixed internet connection at home (due to speed limitations or blocking of content); 23 per cent experience problems listening to music on their mobile device; 23 per cent experience problems uploading content on Facebook, blogs or forums through their mobile device; 19 per cent experience problems playing online games at desk computer; and nine per cent experience problems using internet-delivered phone calls; 60 per cent of customers do not know their internet speed and of those who know their speed, 26 per cent say that they do not get a speed which matches the terms of their contract.
To the question “When using your household internet subscription, have you experienced difficulties accessing online content and applications due to insufficient speed or downloading capacity?” only 23 per cent of Maltese replied positively, the second lowest percentage after the Danes with 22 per cent. The EU average is 39 per cent.
A similar experience is repeated with a mobile connection, as only 32 per cent said so against an EU average of 43 per cent.
In terms of blocking, only 22 per cent of Maltese said they experienced blocking of content on their home internet connection, which is in line with the EU average of 24 per cent. With mobile connections the figure is even lower, 17 per cent, which is one of the lowest among EU countries and below the EU average of 25 per cent.
The European Commission said that the findings of the study reinforced the evidence reported by the Body of European Regulat-ors for Electronic Communic-ations in 2012 on net neutrality and open internet.
Net neutrality is defined as “a proposed regulatory principle that seeks to limit harmful or anti-competitive discrimination on the part of network operators and service providers” which means that internet access providers treat all data equally when they travel on their networks.
The Commission’s proposed Connected Continent Regulation aims at a single market for internet and communications. The proposal is currently being discussed by the European Union’s legislators – the European Parliament and Council.
The Commission said this proposal would deliver an open internet for all citizens in Europe and enhance transparency by requiring operators to provide their customers with accurate information about the speed and quality of the internet service they provide. It would end discrimin-atory blocking and throttling and deliver effective protection of the open internet.
It sets out clear rules regarding traffic management, banning such management except in exceptional circumstances. It also enables the provision of “specialised services” such as high definition video services and e-health services which promote innovation and choice in telecoms markets, but it enables them in a way which maintains the quality of general internet access. Using this approach, operators would continue to be able to compete for consumers on price and quality differences (for example, different internet speeds or data volumes) that best match customers’ needs.