2015: MCA Consumer Perceptions Survey - Fixed Broadband

The MCA has today published the results of a survey it carried out between August and October 2015, in order to gauge consumer perceptions and satisfaction levels with regard to Internet services in Malta.

The survey, which was limited to residential users, was carried out by Ernst and Young via telephone interviews after respondents were chosen at random. A total of 800 households participated in this survey.

Results from the survey show that 77% of Maltese households have Internet access; a considerable development when compared to 68% of households that claimed to have Internet access in 2011. Meanwhile, out of the remaining 23% households that do not have Internet access, 13% have indicated that they are willing to get such a connection during the year. Only 8% of respondents cite affordability as a reason for not getting Internet access in the future. The main reasons mentioned for not getting Internet access are that no one needs Internet or that respondents do not have a computer at home.

Results also show that compared to the 2013 survey, more members within the same households are using the Internet when at home. Moreover, around 82% of households with Internet access today claim they cannot live without it [76% in 2013].    

In terms of Internet quality of service satisfaction, only 5% of households are dissatisfied with the level of service. The rest of households are either satisfied or highly satisfied with the level of Internet service.

Interestingly, 80% of households with Internet access do not know what Internet connection speed they have. Despite this, 83% of all households with Internet access still claim that their current Internet speed is adequate for their needs.

Only 18% of all households with Internet access think that switching between Internet services can be difficult, mainly due to modem and wiring complications. The survey also shows that over the last two years 7% of all households switched from one Internet service to another. In 2013, 9% of households claimed to have switched.

Service reliability has been cited as the main determining factor when choosing between Internet service providers [69% of households with Internet access]. Pricing and service speed come second and third respectively to service reliability. 41% of all households with Internet at home would change their Internet connection if the subscription charges were to increase by 10% on a monthly basis.

At the same time, however, only 23% of households know how much they are paying for their broadband service, of which the majority (59%) perceive the cost to be either reasonable or cheap.

Finally the survey also reports that 35% of all households claim to have experienced Internet connection problems during the last 12 months, of which the vast majority (71%) had their problem addressed within one day. Only 10% were not satisfied with the way their Internet connection problem was addressed.

View Survey Results