Press Release: 100% basic broadband coverage achieved across Europe – EU target achieved ahead of schedule. Next stop is fast broadband for all.

The European Commission on 17 October 2013 stated that every EU household can now have a basic broadband connection, thanks to pan-EU availability of satellite broadband. Satellite connections are now available in all 28 countries meaning every European can take out a satellite subscription, including the three million people not already covered by fixed and mobile broadband networks.

By the end of 2012, 99.4% of EU household had access to basic fixed or mobile broadband coverage; including 96.1% of households in rural areas. But the final 0.6% (or roughly 3 million citizens) included many families and businesses in isolated or rural areas where fixed or mobile broadband rollout is more cumbersome and expensive.

Vice President of the European Commission, Neelie Kroes at the 'Broadband for All' European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) event in Brussels welcomed the milestone achievement of one of the main goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe.

European Commission: RAPID: Speech, SPEECH/13/829: Every European digital on a connected continent http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-13-829_en.pdf

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