For the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, we have assessed the extent to which Dutch households currently or by 2023 have access to a fixed internet connection of at least 100 Mbit/s.
Approach
Based on data from network owners, our market knowledge, and public deployment plans, we have inventoried the current 100 Mbit/s coverage and estimated the areas where we do (or do not) expect further deployment.
Results
Our analysis revealed that already
97.4% of households have access to 100 Mbit/s or more (as of mid-2019).
Various parties are currently deploying high-quality fixed connection networks in urban areas, rural areas, and industrial estates. Therefore, we expect a further increase in the number of households that can access a connection of at least 100 Mbit/s in the coming years.
According to our estimation, there will soon remain a group of approximately
50,000 households (or 0.5%) that still cannot access a high-quality fixed connection. This includes 20,000 households in urban areas and 30,000 households in rural areas.
Options for Action
At present, we do not see a need for large-scale stimulating or financing interventions from the relevant authorities (national, provincial, and municipal). Most areas primarily benefit from standardization of construction conditions (fees, degeneration costs), deployment coordination (supervision), and the conclusion of agreements that stipulate further (work) arrangements concerning construction.
For the really challenging, isolated addresses, besides simply accepting the situation, solutions could involve end-user subsidies or setting up a state aid process. Acceptance also includes focusing on (future) improvements in quality and pricing of mobile and hybrid networks. Consider technologies such as 4G/5G, a fixed-wireless network, and individual point-to-point connections.
Curious about the results for your own province, municipality, or residence? Please refer to the outcomes:
overview map of fixed internet connections in the Netherlands
