While we like to complain that the broadband we get in the UK is expensive, slow and unreliable, it’s not so bad when you look at the grander scheme of global broadband prices. In fact, a new study has revealed that actually, our broadband is dirt cheap. So are we just a bunch of entitled first-world complainers? Or do we actually have the right to grumble?
Cable.co.uk and BDRC Continental’s study released today suggests not. After analysing 3,351 broadband packages from 196 countries from the period between 18 August and 12 October 2017, they’ve found that, to gasps of surprise, broadband in the UK is actually both impressive and highly cost-effective.
Cable.co.uk and BDRC Continental’s figures show that, at the time of writing, the UK has the eighth cheapest broadband out of 28 countries in Western Europe, bettering countries like the Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Ireland. Italy has the cheapest broadband in Western Europe at only $28.84 a month, with Germany second at $34.02 a month. The average price for the UK is $40.68 a month. When you look at the UK globally though, the UK is in the top third, making it one of the cheapest broadband providers as it ranks 66th worldwide, being beaten out by countries like Iran, Syria and former USSR countries, who don’t have terribly fast broadband speeds anyway.
When you couple this data with its previous global speed measures report released in August, you can see that the UK, in fact, ranks in the top fifth globally when it comes to broadband speeds.
“In the UK there can be no doubt there is still a significant number of people who feel they are paying too much for a service that’s less than adequate, however the hugely popular narrative that the UK has awful, expensive broadband simply isn’t true,” Dan Howdle, consumer telecoms analyst at Cable.co.uk said in a press statement. “With a healthy, open marketplace offering very cheap broadband deals to everyone and so-called ‘superfast’ speeds to almost 96% of homes, the UK is doing considerably better than the majority of countries around the world.”
When you compare it to other countries’ broadband prices around the world, it becomes evident that the UK’s prices aren’t as bank-breaking as many assume.
On average, Iran offers the cheapest broadband prices at a mere $5.70 a month. Six of the top ten countries with the cheapest broadband belong to a group of former USSR countries, including the Russian Federation at $9.89 a month.
Sub-Saharan Africa performed the worst in the figures as almost all 31 of the continent’s countries appeared in the most expensive half of the results, with the cheapest being Réunion at $30.02 a month.
The top eight countries with the cheapest broadband in Western Europe include Italy at $28.84 a month, Germany at $34.02, Denmark at $35.86, France with $36.29, Isle of Man at $37.61, the Åland Islands at $38.96 and finally, San Marino at $39.74.
And if you thought we had some expensive broadband prices, be thankful you don’t live in North America or Oceania.
Canada offers the cheapest broadband in North America at $54.92 a month, with the United States costing $66.17 a month. All of the countries in Oceania found themselves languishing at the most expensive half of the table with Australia costing $60.37 a month and the most expensive Oceanic country, Papua New Guinea, costing an eye-watering $596.92 a month. Yes, you read that right.
And just for comparison, the country with the most expensive broadband was Burkina Faso, with the grand total of $961.51 a month.
Remind us never to relocate to Burkina Faso.
Still, if you want even cheaper, now is the best time to get it. Here are the best Black Friday 2017 broadband deals.
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