Third of consumers experiencing slower speeds than National Broadband Plan's minimum target
A third of Irish consumers claim to still be on broadband speeds of equal to or less than 30Mbp.
A new study carried out by Switcher.ie shows a major decline in satisfaction with broadband speeds across Ireland, with only 44% happy with their current home speeds - down from 51% year-on-year.
The research also found that one in three people have checked their speeds and are sometimes or always getting lower speeds than they pay for.
Some 8% claim to have speeds of less than 3Mbps - not considered fast enough to watch Netflix in standard definition, according to Switcher.ie.
Eoin Clarke from switcher.ie says some areas are still experiencing speeds of 30Mbp or less:
"We now have speeds of 1,000MBPS in Ireland, so 30 is the minimum target set out by the National Broadband Plan,
"Around 16% of people say that their broadband speed is less than 8Mbp, and this would mean that it would take about an hour to download a HD movie."
He added: "Despite all of the talk about addressing the issue of sluggish broadband across the country, Irish broadband is still stuck in the slow lane. In an increasingly digital world, broadband is now considered a household essential, alongside energy, so it’s very disappointing to see a drop in the average speed people say they’ve got in the home, and a corresponding decline in customer satisfaction.
"If you are not getting the speed you are paying for, you should contact your provider as they may be able to help, by either advising you on ways to optimise your speeds, or replacing your modem. If you’re still not happy, it might be time to shop around for another provider who can deliver the broadband speed you need."
