Irish overpay for Internet access compared to other Europeans
Irish people get their internet for 39% less value than the UK residents. This is according to Surfshark’s Global Internet Value Index (IVi), which uncovered what are countries overpaying for their internet connection plan.
In terms of regional position, Ireland ranked 22nd, with its index 31% lower than Europe’s average. Ireland fell in seventh place in Northern Europe. Countries like the UK and the Netherlands rank 20th and ninth, respectively, both paying a fair price for the internet they get. Ireland has a 39% lower index compared to the UK and a 58% lower index compared to the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, it ranked 32nd globally with an index of 0.0872, which is 20% higher than the global average, meaning Irish get their internet for a fair price compared to other countries worldwide.
The IVi is calculated by dividing each country’s internet speed by internet affordability to determine which countries are overpaying for their internet.
Oceania and Europe lead the world in internet value, while internet affordability in North America, South America, and Africa is below average. Globally, only four out of 10 people get their internet at fair prices, while the remaining 61% overpay for internet they get.
Europe is the second-best region regarding internet value as 78% of European people get their internet at fair prices. Denmark takes the lead in Europe with an index nearly four times higher than the European average, closely followed by France. In terms of overall internet value, countries in Western Europe tend to perform the best, with around 58% higher index than the region’s average. However, internet value is below average by around 25% in two Western European countries, Austria and Belgium.
Northern European countries perform well in terms of internet value – around 31% higher index than the European average – however, four Northern European countries, Norway, Ireland, Latvia, and Estonia are overpaying for internet connections.
Eastern Europe performs middle-of-the-line, with its index around 7.4% lower than the European average. Romania ranks third in the region and is the only Eastern European country part of the top 10-ranking European countries.
Southern Europe performed the worst out of the continent’s four subregions, with a 50.9% lower index than the European average. The three lowest-ranking countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and North Macedonia, are all located in Southern Europe. Out of the 10 lowest-ranking European countries, all but one (Belarus) are Southern European.
Four out of 10 people in Asia can access the internet at a fair price compared to the rest of the region. Israel takes the lead in Asia with the best internet value index, followed by Singapore and South Korea. Comparing internet value in Africa, four out of every 10 people can access the internet at a fair price. South Africa remains the outright leader, with Egypt ranking second, followed by Morocco. However, Zimbabwe and Uganda remain the lowest-ranking African countries, followed closely by Cameroon.
In North America, seven out of every 10 individuals can access the internet at a fair price. The United States outperforms Canada regarding internet value. None of the countries that form part of the Latin American and the Caribbean subregion of North America have above-average internet value. 59% of South Americans get their internet at a fair price. Chile is South America’s leader in internet value, followed by Uruguay and Brazil.
This study ranked 117 countries and territories based on the IVi, which is determined by fixed broadband internet and mobile internet speed-to-affordability ratios. Pillars have four indicators directly influencing the quality to affordability aspect, time to work to afford fixed broadband internet; time to work to afford mobile internet; median fixed broadband download speed and median mobile internet download speed.
“Internet Value index offers to look at internet connection from a practical perspective – whether we get what we pay for,” said Agneska Sablovskaja, lead researcher at Surfshark. “Even economically affluent countries with relatively fast internet can overpay compared to others worldwide. However, some countries may have slower internet but also pay a considerably lower price, which is then considered fair.”
TechCentral Reporters
Subscribers 0
Fans 0
Followers 0
Followers