Romania has lost a position and is now ranked sixth globally for the cheapest fixed internet subscriptions and second in Eastern Europe, according to a study by Cable.co.uk, which analyzed prices in 223 countries. 

All countries in Eastern Europe are in the top half of the ranking, with Ukraine and Romania making it in the top 10. Ten other countries from the region’s 15 are in the top 50.

Overall the region averages USD 18.06 per month, making it the second cheapest region in the world. The cheapest three were Ukraine (USD 7.35, 4th), Romania (USD 8.60, 6th) and Bulgaria (USD 10.47, 14th). The most expensive three were Slovenia (USD 40.29, 102nd), Montenegro (USD 25.04, 59th), and Croatia (USD 21.94, 53rd), according to the study.

Globally, Sudan offers the cheapest broadband internet subscription in the world, with an average cost of USD 2.4 per month, followed by Argentina (USD 5.17), Belarus (USD 7.03), Ukraine (USD 7.35), and Egypt (USD 8.31).

With an average monthly cost of USD 8.6, Romania is ranked sixth, followed by Vietnam (USD 8.72), Kazakhstan (USD 9.08), Moldova (USD 9.19), and Nepal in tenth place (USD 9.51). Romania has dropped one position compared to the previous edition of the study from last spring, when it ranked fifth (USD 7.57). The country was previously ranked eighth, with an average cost of USD 9.

At the end of last year, 5 million Romanians had fiber optic internet contracts, according to the latest ANCOM report, based on data reported by providers. Revenues in the Romanian telecom sector remained at RON 16.9 billion in 2023, equivalent to EUR 3.42 billion, while the average monthly revenue obtained by an operator from a user was RON 73.9. Most of this went towards fixed and mobile internet services (RON 27.6), according to Economica.net.

The Solomon Islands is the most expensive place in the world for fixed broadband internet services, with an average package price of USD 457.84 per month. Burundi is the second most expensive state, with an average monthly rate of USD 304.57, followed by the Turks and Caicos Islands (USD 212), the British Virgin Islands (USD 189), and Bermuda (USD 185). 

The regions offering the lowest prices are the CIS states, Eastern Europe, the Baltic countries, North Africa, South America, Asia, Western Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Near East, the Caribbean, North America, Oceania, and Central America.

"It is not too surprising that the most advanced and developed nations tend to have some of the most expensive broadband networks. After all, earnings are higher, and investment and implementation of new technologies tend to be more advanced. Or at least, that is what one might think,” said Dan Howdle, an analyst at Cable.co.uk. 

“However, it is interesting that the cheapest broadband service in the world tends to be in Eastern Europe and CIS countries. These countries also tend to have some of the most advanced infrastructures (high percentage of full-fiber FTTP coverage) and somehow manage to offer them to users at very low prices. And although Western Europe, North America, and other parts of the world are catching up in terms of infrastructure, the rest of the world has no chance of matching these prices,” he added.

In Western Europe, the company compared the average price in 29 countries and concluded that the region ranks in the middle to lower part of the ranking, with none of them in the top 50. The regional average price slightly decreased compared to last year, to USD 50.01, making this region the seventh cheapest out of the 13 global regions. 

Globally, the average monthly price during the analyzed period was USD 55.89, 1.84% cheaper than the previous report. Moreover, the cost has been decreasing over the last five years. The first report, conducted in 2018, indicated an average price of USD 74.22 worldwide.

Cable.co.uk collected and analyzed data from 3,405 broadband internet package offers from 223 countries, between September 7, 2023, and November 10, 2023.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Makym Klimov | Dreamstime.com)