Only 317,000 of these connections are currently activated – and therefore almost 17 percent of the potential. The RTR Internet Monitor shows that 1.9 million broadband connections could currently be established. However, there is at least one positive trend: the number of activated connections up to the first quarter has increased by 22 percent within a year.
“There is still a lot of room for improvement in demand,” said Klaus Steinmaurer, RTR’s managing director for telecommunications and post. “The alternatives are apparently still good enough for many people. But I assume that this will change soon.”
This is also reflected in user behavior: in the first quarter of this year, 2,950 petabytes of data volume – ten percent more than a year earlier – were consumed via fixed and mobile networks. The volume of data transmitted via mobile networks increased by 17 percent to 1,266 petabytes. The data volume via landline networks only increased by almost seven percent to 1,684 petabytes.
Energie AG second largest provider
Around 751,000 of the 1.9 million available connections are in Vienna. There is already capacity for 276,000 connections in Upper Austria and around 266,000 connections in Lower Austria. Burgenland has the fewest households and is therefore at the bottom of the list in Austria with 17,500 available connections.
There are currently a large number of mostly smaller providers. With a 30.3 percent market share, A1 Telekom Austria is the market leader for fiber optic connections, followed by Energie AG Oberösterreich (6.9 percent) and Kabelplus (6.8 percent).
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Real estate: fiber optic network is an important purchase criterion
What are the benefits of fiber optic internet for homebuyers in the current real estate market?
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The increasing importance of high-speed internet is evident in the real estate market, as prospective buyers now consider the availability of a fiber optic network as a key factor in their purchase decisions. This trend underscores the growing reliance on digital connectivity for both work and leisure activities, prompting homebuyers to prioritize properties equipped with modern technological infrastructure.
Currently, A1 Telekom Austria leads the fiber optic market with a substantial share of 30.3%. Following them are Energie AG Oberösterreich with 6.9% and Kabelplus, which holds 6.8% of the market. The significant growth in data consumption—2,950 petabytes in just the first quarter of this year—serves to highlight the increasing demand for better connectivity options. Notably, mobile networks saw a remarkable increase of 17% from the previous year, further emphasizing the shift towards mobile internet usage.
In Austria, a substantial 751,000 out of the total 1.9 million connections are located in Vienna, with ample capacity available in Upper Austria and Lower Austria. In contrast, Burgenland has the least availability with only 17,500 connections, reflecting the disparities in infrastructure across regions. As the landscape of telecommunications evolves, the ripple effects can be seen in consumer preferences, influencing both market dynamics and real estate decisions.