The five largest Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the two or three largest Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in each country were included. Data was collected from ISP and MNO websites within the three-week period. Their offers were analysed to determine the least expensive offer in each country according to various consumption patterns of mobile and fixed internet services, according to standardised guidelines on measuring and comparing broadband prices, from the .
Mobile broadband
In general, the study shows:
- Romania, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Italy and the United Kingdom have the most attractive prices overall
- France, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Belgium, Latvia, Denmark and Croatia follow as the relatively inexpensive countries.
- The relatively expensive countries are Malta, Greece, Lithuania, Spain, Hungary, Ireland and Portugal.
- The expensive countries are Slovakia, Cyprus and Czechia
- On average, mobile broadband in the 27 EU countries and the UK is about as expensive as or less expensive than in Iceland, Norway, Japan, South Korea and the USA
Fixed broadband
The study shows that countries tend to have varying prices for different categories of offers, i.e. with varying speeds and bundles that also include telephone and TV services. In general:
- Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Slovakia have the most attractive prices.
- France, Poland, Finland and Bulgaria follow. France and Poland have low prices especially for Triple Play offers, which include fixed telephone and TV.
- Austria and Estonia tend to have attractive prices for lower bandwidth offers, yet when it comes to services that offer speeds above 100 Mbps, they fall among the more expensive countries.
- Belgium and Cyprus tend to have the most expensive offers of fixed broadband.
- Prices for all offers of different download speeds are lower in the 27 EU countries and the UK than in the USA, Norway and Iceland.
Converged broadband
Converged broadband includes both mobile broadband and household requirements for fixed broadband.
- Romania, France, Lithuania, Poland, Austria, Italy, Latvia and Germany have the most attractive prices in the EU. Romania has some of the least expensive offers.
- Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Estonia and Malta follow. Specifically, Luxembourg, Estonia and Malta have low prices especially for Quadruple Play offers, including broadband, telephone, TV and mobile internet.
- Bulgaria tends to have attractive prices for lower bandwidth Triple Play offers, but also tends to be more expensive for Quadruple Play offers with speeds above 100 Mbps.
- The converged broadband offers in Netherlands, Cyprus and Ireland are on the expensive side.
- Prices for all converged bundles are lower in the EU 27 States and the UK, than in the USA, Norway, Iceland, Japan and South Korea. The EU 27 States and the UK show similar price patterns to those of Norway in the low – speed converged bundles and with Iceland in the top – speed Quadruple Play offers.
- The USA exhibits significantly higher prices than the rest of the countries among all converged bundles.
The Commission regularly monitors the prices of mobile and fixed broadband across the EU and in comparison with other countries. The previous study on mobile broadband prices was published in 2019 and for fixed broadband prices in 2018.