The need for universal Internet access has never been greater. This is the conclusion of Cisco's latest broadband index. According to the respondents, fast and reliable internet access is essential to economic and social growth. Nearly 60,000 employees in 30 countries were surveyed by Censuswide on broadband access.

Too many concurrent users

In spite of the fact that COVID-19 seems to be under control in many European countries and people are starting to return to the office, labor and work will be mostly hybrid by 2022, with many working partly from home. According to the research only 48 percent of the active population uses the Internet at home to do their job. The majority of European employees believe that broadband services should be drastically improved in order to achieve this.

Seventy-eight percent of knowledge workers surveyed require an internet connection for their jobs - at home or in the office - for more than four hours a day. Because 60% of households have three or more people accessing the internet at the same time, basic connectivity is insufficient for many at-home workers. In the next 12 months, nearly half of those surveyed (44%) intend to increase their internet subscription. In addition, remote workers who use private and sometimes public networks are aware of the importance of security: more than half would pay more for a secure broadband connection.

Economic growth

According to the broadband index, fast and stable internet can have a significant impact on hybrid work, companies, and economic growth, as well as society. More than sixty percent of Europeans citizens believe broadband internet is essential for education and knowledge. However a similar number of respondents believe that broadband access is a growing issue for low-income individuals.

Over half of respondents (58%) reported not being able to access online services such as online medical appointments, online education, social care, and utilities during past lockdowns due to an unreliable broadband connection. More than three quarters of respondents believe that people should have access to fast and stable internet everywhere.

Photo credit: Chris Montgomery