A significant portion of German households continue to experience frustrating internet outages, despite ongoing infrastructure investments, according to a new survey by comparison portal Verivox. The findings, reported by Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, reveal that nearly half (49%) of respondents reported experiencing a complete internet disruption at least once in the past twelve months. This represents a slight increase compared to the previous year, when 47% reported similar issues.
While most outages were isolated incidents, with 31% reporting a single disruption (up from 30% in 2023), a concerning 44% still enjoyed consistently reliable internet connections, a decline from 45% the previous year. Jörg Schamberg, Verivox’s telecommunications expert, acknowledged the inherent challenge in guaranteeing 100% uptime, stating that disruptions are, to some degree, unavoidable. He also highlighted the cumbersome process for consumers to formally report these disturbances to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
Interestingly, the survey data reveals a marked improvement in the prevalence of multiple internet outages, dropping from 25% in 2023 to just 17% currently. Short-term outages (less than an hour) have also decreased, though 11% of respondents still faced this inconvenience, compared to 15% two years prior.
Regional disparities are also evident. West Germans reported experiencing network disruptions more frequently (52%) in the last year, exceeding the national average of 49%. Conversely, internet outages were less common in eastern Germany (42%), a further reduction from the 44% reported in 2023. The higher incidence in densely populated western metropolitan areas is attributed to increased strain on network infrastructure.
The survey further indicated that younger individuals (under 39) and families with children are disproportionately affected, with 59% and 61% respectively reporting disruptions. This is likely due to higher internet usage and a greater sensitivity to service interruptions.
Critically, the data underscores the importance of network stability over price in consumer decisions. “The poor performance of a connection is a strong reason to switch providers” Schamberg noted. “Consumers who are satisfied with bandwidth and stability are far less likely to abandon their current provider.
The survey, conducted in July 2024, polled 1,016 individuals aged 18 to 79. The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of current infrastructure rollout strategies and highlight the need for more streamlined reporting mechanisms for consumers experiencing ongoing network instability, especially considering the apparent regional inequalities.
