1.1. Contact organisation
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
G4: Innovation and digitalisation
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
15 November 20242.2. Metadata last posted
15 November 20242.3. Metadata last update
15 November 2024One 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.
Moreover, in 2021, the Commission — in its Digital Decade — presented a vision and avenues for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030, evolving around four cardinal points: skills, secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, digital transformation of businesses, and digitalisation of public services.
The Digital Decade connectivity goals: European households should have access to high-speed internet coverage by 2025 and gigabit connectivity by 2030, elicit EU policies on connectivity aiming at harmonising connectivity regulations to foster cross-EU services and expanding networks. These include, among others, the Gigabit Infrastructure Act, which addresses the need for faster and more reliable connectivity across the EU. Other EU past actions include the end of roaming charges, enabling the use of mobile subscriptions across the EU no extra cost. The WiFi4EU initiative also funded the installation of free Wi-Fi hotspots in local communities.
Furthermore, the European data strategy aims to make the EU a leader in a data-driven society, where creating a single market for data will allow it to flow freely within the EU and across sectors for the benefit of businesses, researchers and public administrations.
Internet connectivity and online activity of consumers and businesses generate an immense amount of data. Fixed and mobile broadband internet traffic statistics make it possible to quantify the use of broadband in Europe.
4.1. Data description
Fixed and mobile broadband internet traffic statistics come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs).
ITU collects Internet traffic statistics on fixed and mobile broadband (inside the country) through its annual World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators short and long questionnaires according to the methodology provided in the Handbook for the Collection of Administrative Data on Telecommunications/ICT. Mobile network operators (MNOs) and Internet service providers (IPSs) systematically measure Internet data usage (both upload and download) of their customers, which is the basis of traffic statistics. Data from MNOs and ISPs are collected and aggregated by national telecommunications/ICT regulatory authorities or ministries and reported to ITU in the World Telecommunication/ICT indicators questionnaire series. Data that are unavailable from the questionnaires are compiled from publicly available sources from regulators and ministries, and from the OECD Broadband statistics.
The statistics on the internet traffic include:
Fixed-broadband internet traffic refers to the annual total volume of data traffic generated by fixed-broadband subscribers measured at the end-user access point. It should be measured by adding up download and upload traffic. Internet traffic refers to open Internet traffic generated or consumed by users connected to the Internet. Wholesale traffic (provided for another operator), walled-garden traffic, and IPTV and cable-TV traffic should be excluded. Traffic data should be collected from fixed operators offering Internet connections or ISPs by national regulatory authorities and ministries.
Mobile broadband Internet traffic (within the country) refers to the annual total broadband traffic volumes (uploaded and downloaded) originated within the country from 3G or other more advanced mobile networks, including evolutions, or equivalent standards in terms of data transmission speeds. Wholesale and walled-garden traffic should be excluded. Traffic should be measured at the end-user access point.
Mobile broadband Internet traffic (outside the country) refers to the annual total broadband traffic volumes originated outside the country from 3G or other more advanced mobile networks, including evolutions or equivalent standards in terms of data transmission speeds. Wholesale and walled-garden traffic should be excluded. Traffic should be collected and aggregated at the country level for all customers of domestic operators roaming outside the country. Traffic should be measured at the end-user access point.
4.2. Unit of measure
Exabytes (109 Gb)
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
Data are validated by ITU, and discrepancies clarified through communication with countries before they are disseminated.
Values may include estimates by national regulatory authorities in countries where smaller Internet Service Providers are not obliged to report traffic data.
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
International Telecommunication Union, ITU DataHub
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data sources: Fixed operators offering Internet connections or ISPs for fixed-broadband traffic internet and Mobile network operators for Mobile-broadband traffic internet.
Data provider: National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) for telecommunications or the relevant ministries.
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
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
< 75% EU MS or no EU aggregate6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Information is not available for all EU Members States and EFTA countries.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
< 75% 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
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Coverage may change according to country.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
< 3 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
See tables:
isoc_tf: Fixed broadband internet traffic
isoc_tmi: Mobile and fixed broadband internet traffic (within the country)
isoc_tmo: Mobile and fixed broadband internet traffic (outside the country)
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.
International Telecommunication Union, ITU DataHub
The Data is licensed to the public through a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO license.
