The Maltese don’t think internet access is expensive but only a third think their internet line does not break down and many are satisfied with the mobile service. These are some of the trends which emerge in a Eurobarometer e-Communications Household Survey of the EU-27. The results were compared to a similar survey conducted in 2009.
Households are very keen on having bundled packages for internet access, mobile telephony, fixed telephony and TV channels because they believe it is cheaper than buying services individually.
Over the last two years Malta has also seen a significant increase in the use of broadband internet access and mobile phone use when compared to other EU countries.
Overall, household ownership of computers has increased by four percentage points in the EU since the winter of 2009. The greatest increases were exhibited in Malta (+12), Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria; 69 per cent of Maltese households have a computer, compared to the EU27 average of 68 per cent.
In the Netherlands (100), Sweden (99), Finland, Malta and Denmark (all three 98), all, or nearly all households that have a PC have as well an internet connection.
Malta was among the countries with the greatest increases in obtaining internet access at home (+11), with a penetration of 67 per cent, compared to an EU27 average of 62 per cent. Notably these countries were also among those with the largest increases in home computer ownership. In no country was there a decrease in households having internet access at home.
Overall, broadband access has increased by seven percentage points and almost every country has experienced a significant increase. The greatest increase in broadband internet access was in Latvia (+19), followed by Romania, Portugal, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Greece and Malta, all of which exhibited 13 to 11 percentage point increases since the winter of 2009. Malta’s broadband penetration stands at 65 per cent, comparing favourably to the EU27 average of just 55 per cent.
Narrowband internet access has vanished from Malta and only one in 20 EU households has this type of access.
Monthly subscription costs of the internet are of greatest concern to the Hungarians and Latvians while surprisingly the Maltese, Italians and Swedish are least concerned about them.
The lack of knowledge of the internet is greatest in Spain, Belgium, and Malta (19), while respondents from the Netherlands, Germany and France are the least likely to cite this as their reason for not connecting at home.
Use of the mobile phone network to access the internet is most common in Finland, where around three in ten access the internet this way. Conversely, in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Malta (three) use is lowest.
Only 32 per cent of Maltese agreed that their internet connection never breaks down (up nine per cent from 2009). EU27 average is 36 per cent.
Overall, four out of ten EU households are buying bundles of communication services from a single provider (42). The incidence of bundles appears to be more prevalent in northern Europe in general. Bundle purchasing is highest in the Netherlands (67), Malta (64) and Slovenia (60). It is lowest in Finland (14), the Czech Republic (19) and Bulgaria (20). The greatest increases in the use of bundles have been in Luxembourg, Latvia, and Malta.
The convenience of only having one invoice with a package dominates in most member states (in 21 out of the 27). In those countries where the perception that packages are cheaper than paying individual services is the highest percentage per country, namely in Malta (49), Greece and Hungary, convenience is still also a consideration as the incidence of this item in these member states (Malta 45, Greece 45 and Hungary 43) is almost the same as that of packages being cheaper than the individual services.
On average, almost all EU citizens have access to a telephone, either fixed or mobile (98). Coverage is most widespread in the Netherlands, Malta, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Sweden and Denmark where 100 per cent of respondents have access to a telephone. The incidence of dual access is highest in Sweden (94) and Malta (90). Dual access is least common in the Czech Republic (15) and Finland (17).
In Malta 82 per cent say their mobile never cuts off while they are on a call.
There is very little variation in television access between member states, with the highest incidence in Cyprus (100) and Malta (100) and the lowest in Finland (94).