20.08.2024

The ANCOM report on the quality of internet access service in 2023 shows that, compared to 2018, last year the average download speed for fixed internet was higher by 184%, while the average upload speed increased by 240%. Furthermore, compared to 2018, the average download speed for mobile internet increased in 2023 by 70%, wheleas the average upload speed remained constant.

National average - download and upload speeds for fixed internet

According to the results of the tests carried out by end users on the Netograf platform during 2023 for the fixed internet service, the average download speed nationwide increased by about 15% compared to the previous year, up to 381 Mbps, while the average upload speed increased by 24%, up to 347 Mbps.

Compared to 2018, in 2023 the average download speed for fixed internet increased by 184%, while the average upload speed increased by 240%.

The data recorded on Netograf regarding the transfer speeds correlate with the general trend resulting from the statistical data reports of the providers on their assumed transfer speeds and with other ANCOM analyses that confirm the positive development trend of fixed electronic communications networks.

The coverage with fiber-based fixed communications networks, progressively extending at national level, enables the further increase of the download and upload speeds corresponding to the internet access services provided at a fixed location.

National average - download and upload speeds for mobile internet

For the mobile internet service, the average download speed nationwide reached 39 Mbps in 2023 (compared to 38 Mbps in 2022), while the average upload speed decreased to 12 Mbps.

The launch of phasing out third generation technologies (3G) in 2023 provides underlies the flat trend in the evolution of these speeds on the national mobile networks. However, it can be reasonably estimated that download and upload speeds will register positive adjustments in the coming years, with the completion of the 3G switch-off process, along with the deployment of fifth generation (5G) mobile communication technologies on the level of mobile networks.

Compared to 2018, the average download speed for mobile internet increased by 70% in 2023, whereas the average upload speed remained constant.

 

 

The ANCOM report on the quality of the internet access service for 2023 also contains (in addition to the evolution of average speeds at national level for fixed and mobile connections) trends of average speeds per provider, evolutions of average speeds at county level, as well as developments regarding other relevant technical quality parameters (delay and variation of data packet transfer delay), for the top 5 fixed providers and for mobile providers.

Administrative quality parameters

The number of complaints registered in 2023 per thousand active connections ranges from 4 to 254 for the largest fixed internet providers (ranked by number of connections), while the number of complaints registered by providers of mobile internet falls within the range 2.6 – 4.5 complaints per thousand active connections.

The number of complaints regarding valid faults, which is dropping for 3 of the fixed internet providers, indicates a quality improvement trend. However, there is an upward trend in the number of complaints for the other 2 major fixed internet providers, compared to 2022. As far as mobile internet is concerned, the number of fault-related complaints stands at very low values among most providers (0.1 - 4.1 complaints per semester).

In addition to developments and comparative statistics on the frequency of complaints, the report on the quality of the internet access service for 2023 also includes comparative developments and statistics regarding the term for providing the internet access service, the fault repair term and the handling term for end-users’ complaints - other than fault-related one - for the top 5 fixed internet providers and for mobile providers.

Netograf

ANCOM has developed the Netograf platform (with a web application and applications dedicated to fixed and mobile terminals) by means of which users can measure the performance of the service received, as well as its evolution over time. In Romania, Netograf is the certified mechanism for measuring the quality of the internet access service, being the only platform that helps users obtain compensation in respect of the quality of fixed and mobile internet.

Where a user finds a significant difference, permanent or repeated at regular intervals, between the actual performance of the internet access service in terms of speed and parameters indicated by the provider in the contract, they may obtain - upon following exactly the procedure for measuring the quality parameters indicated in the contract and having submitted a valid complaint to the provider - certain remedies stipulated in the contract.

Providers must not charge, deduct from the traffic within a tariff plan, throttle or block the end-users’ data traffic to and from Netograf.