Europe – 100% covered with basic broadband internet

Every EU household can get a basic broadband connection, thanks to pan-EU availability of satellite broadband, an European Commission press release states.

According to the mentioned source, satellite connections are available in all 28 countries of European Union, which means each European can get a satellite subscription, including the 3M people not already covered by fixed and mobile broadband networks.

Neelie Kroes, EC’s Vice President, welcomed the milestone achievement for one of the main goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe

My motto is Every European Digital – now every European genuinely has the opportunity. We have more to do to improve networks and equalise the opportunity, but the opportunity is there.

Thanks to the extra coverage provided by satellite broadband, we have achieved our 2013 target of broadband for all. That’s a great result for European citizens.

Neelie Kroes

By the end of 2012, 99.4% of EU household had access to basic fixed or mobile broadband coverage, including 96.1% of households in rural areas.

As many Europeans don’t realise satellite broadband is an option for them, a service developed by the European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) – broadbandforall.eu – was launched with the purpose to enables citizens to check quickly their satellite broadband options.

Europeans have at their disposition 148 satellites providing services, which offer basic packages starting from Euro 10 per month, 20Mbps packages from €25 per month, while the average prices for satellite dishes is Euro 350 .