1.1. Contact organisation
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_G4] Eurostat - Trade in services; globalisation
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
3 July 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
3 July 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
3 July 2025
The broadband internet coverage indicators are used to monitor the connectivity throughout the EU, measuring the supply of fixed and mobile broadband internet connections.
One of the six Commission priorities for the period 2019-2024 is A Europe fit for the digital age. The strategy is built on three pillars: (1) technology that works for the people; (2) a fair and competitive digital economy; and (3) an open, democratic and sustainable society. The aim is to make the digital transformation work for people and businesses while helping to achieve the target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050.
In 2021, the Commission resented a vision and avenues for Europe’s Digital Decade – digital transformation by 2030. The Digital Decade policy programme evolves around four cardinal points: skills, secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, digital transformation of businesses, and digitalisation of public services. The Digital Decade defines the objective that by 2030 all European households should be covered by a gigabit network, with all populated areas covered by 5G.
4.1. Data description
In order to monitor the progress of broadband networks’ deployment across the Member States, DG CNECT (the European Commission Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology) has commissioned the Broadband Coverage in Europe (BCE) project to examine household coverage of all of the main fixed and wireless broadband technologies. The data is collected in a survey of National Regulatory Authorities and operators on a regional, NUTS3 level. In order to determine the number of homes passed by individual operator and/or technology networks, the number of households in each region is calculated using population data and average household size figures published by Eurostat annually for each country. The provided data is then combined to show total country coverage by different broadband technologies and download speed categories, taking into account operator and technology overlaps.
The indicators measure the coverage by broadband internet as a % of households. The data is available in two breakdowns breakdowns (with the database code in the square bracket):
- by download speed categories:
- Broadband networks capable of at least 2Mbps download speed [MBPS_GT2] (included until 2020)
- Broadband networks capable of at least 30Mbps download speed [MBPS_GT30]
- Broadband networks capable of at least 100Mbps download speed [MBPS_GT100]
- Broadband networks capable of at least 1Gbps download speed [GBPS_GT1]
- Broadband networks capable of at least 1Gbps upload and download [GBPS_GT1_UD]
- by technology:
- Individual technologies:
- DSL (Digital subscriber line), including VDSL and VDSL2 Vectoring [DSL]
- VDSL (Very high-speed digital subscriber line) [VDSL]
- VDSL 2 Vectoring [VDSL2]
- Cable modem DOCSIS 3.0, including DOCSIS 3.1. (Data over cable service interface specification - version 3.0) [DOCSIS3_0]
- Cable modem DOCSIS 3.1. (Data over cable service interface specification - version 3.1) [DOCSIS3_1]
- FTTP (Fibre to the premises) [FTTP]
- FWA (Fixed wireless access) [FWA]
- LTE (Long-Term Evolution standard for wireless broadband communication for mobile devices and data terminals, sometimes referred to as 4G) [LTE] (included until 2022)
- Average LTE coverage [LTE_AVG] (included until 2021)
- 5G (Fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks) [5G]
- 5G coverage in the 3.4–3.8 GHz frequency band [5G_GHZ3P4-3P8]
- Satellite [SATL]
- Cable modem [CBL_MM] (included until 2018)
- WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) [WIMAX] (included until 2018)
- HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) [HSPA](included until 2018)
- Combination of technologies:
- Fixed broadband coverage (including DSL, VDSL, VDSL2 Vectoring, FTTP, cable modem DOCSIS 3.0, DOCSIS 3.1 and FWA (or WiMAX, HSPA and LTE in the 2013-2018 editions of the study) [BB_FX]
- NGA coverage (includes VDSL, VDSL2 Vectoring, FTTP, cable modem DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1) [NGA]
- Fixed Very High Capacity Network (fixed VHCN) coverage (comprising FTTP & DOCSIS 3.1) [VHCN_FX]
- Very High Capacity Network (VHCN) coverage according to BEREC definition. Includes any network which fulfils one (or more) of the four criteria set out in the "BEREC Guidelines on Very High Capacity Networks" (BoR (23) 164). [VHCN_BEREC]
- DOCSIS 3.0 & FTTP coverage [FTTP_DOCSIS3_0] (included until 2018)
- Overall broadband coverage [BB] (included until 2018)
- Individual technologies:
The broadband internet coverage data by technology is available as % of total households or as % of households in rural areas.
The broadband internet coverage data by speed is available as % of total households.
Data from 2015 onwards indicates broadband coverage levels at the end June of each year (mid-year data points). The 2013 and 2014 editions of the BCE study depict end-of-year data.
4.2. Unit of measure
% of households
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
The indicators are produced according to high-level quality standards. Details on accuracy can be found in the source dataset and report.
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
'Broadband coverage in Europe studies' - DG CNECT
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data sources: Omdia and Point Topic, Broadband coverage in Europe studies
Data provider: European Commission (EC) – Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT) and Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
The indicators are updated annually.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+1 year5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated within one year after the reference year.
6.1. Reference area
All EU MS
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
6.2. Comparability - geographical
All EU MS
Data are comparable between all EU Member States and other presented countries.
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are comparable between all EU Member States and other presented countries.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
5 to 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2013.
6.4. Comparability - over time
4 data points
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of indicators is presented in Eurostat's Statistics Explained article (Towards Digital Decade targets for Europe).
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
See tables:
isoc_cbs Broadband internet coverage by speed
isoc_cbt Broadband internet coverage by technology
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Eurostat dedicated section on Digital economy and society: Overview - Digital economy and society - Eurostat (europa.eu)
Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.
