Four studies reveal consumers face geographic lottery for broadband in Europe

Ahead of next week's vote in the European Parliament on building a telecoms single market in Europe, four new studies today reveal Europe’s 400 million internet users face a geographic lottery regarding the price, speed, and range of choice of broadband.

Consumers are also baffled by the varying information provided by operators, limiting their ability to make the choice that best suits them.

The key findings are:

• Massive price differences: Prices can be four times higher in one EU member state compared to another (taking account of purchasing power);
• 66% of people do not know what internet speed they have signed up for, and;
• on average, consumers only get 75% of the speed promised – compared American consumers who get 96%.

In the UK and France speeds can be as low as 45% of advertised speed. Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes said: "There is no single market for internet and that has to change. There is no good reason why one person should pay over 4 times more than another in Europe for the same broadband.

""We need to strengthen and harmonize consumer rights as proposed in our Connected Continent package. And it's time for companies to work together to find better ways to advertise and explain their products. That’s the reaction to these findings that I am hoping for.”

The Europe Commission has a new web portal section  for all broadband-related information. Clickable maps and other interfaces allow you to see and compare national broadband "state of play" in terms of coverage, technologies and business models.

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