Two in five of us ‘unhappy’ with speed of broadband

TWO in five people are unhappy with their home broadband speeds, a survey has found.

But that number is lower than last year, when 56% were dissatisfied, research by Switcher.ie found. Despite the improvement, 78% say their home broadband speeds are either the same or worse than they were a year ago.

The Switcher.ie survey said: ‘The urban/rural divide is still evident, with a third of people in ConnachtUlster saying they’re unhappy with their broadband speeds at home, compared to just 16% in Dublin.’

It added: ‘Over the years, there’s been a very prominent national discourse on broadband speeds, and in recent times, the National Broadband Plan has been in the spotlight. But it seems there’s still a significant cohort of Irish people who are yet to be convinced the NBP is going to sort out their broadband issues.’

Nearly one in five (18%) have no confidence the plan will have any impact on them, with that figure rising to 24% in Connacht/Ulster.

The aim of the plan is for everyone to have access to high-speed broadband with a target of a minimum of 30Mbps. While the contract for the plan is yet to be awarded, commercial rollouts are continuing.

However, speed tests by Switcher.ie earlier this year showed two-thirds of people are still getting speeds of less than 30Mbps. People need to be aware that providers advertise their maximum speed – so, despite paying for 100Mbps broadband, for example, there’s no guarantee you will actually get this speed, the price comparison website said.

Switcher.ie boss Eoin Clarke said: ‘In an increasingly digital world, broadband is a household essential, and being stuck in the slow lane can have a big impact on quality of life.

‘While we’re hearing a lot about super-fast broadband, there are still a significant number that aren’t satisfied with their speeds, and many who feel things aren’t going to improve any time soon.’