Cyprus-Forum.com

[jmoutinho]

I've been studying broadband penetration in Europe and I'm surprised that, although the percentage of households with Internet access in Cyprus in 2004 (53%) was well above the EU25 average (43%), the percentage of those households with broadband connection was extremely low (4%).

Could anybody help me and try to explain why is that?

Does anyboby know any updated report or paper (in english, please) about broadband deployment in Cyprus?

Thanks for your help.

Jose

[cyprusgrump]

Cypriots generally speaking don’t use the Internet!

Cypriot businesses don’t use it on the whole, don’t have web sites and don’t respond to e-mails (if they even have an e-mail address). So you can’t easily go on-line and do research on products that you want to buy or find the best pricing, etc.

English people find it a bit of a shock when they come here!

It is changing and I’m sure the younger generations will push this forward but it is clear from the research that you have that most households can’t access the Internet (I’m guessing its not just broadband connections that they don’t have).

Also, the geography of the country doesn’t lend itself to widespread broadband installation (small widely spread villages, etc.)

[devil]

Agreed, but the main reason is that CYTA are more intent on advertising the virtues of ADSL than actually equipping their exchanges with the means to implement it. Why? Because they would lose a packet of revenue if DUN users switched to it.

[andytandreou]

Broadband penetration is currently growing by 107% per year. Last year (2004) there where 13,000 users, this year there are 26,000, next year there might be 52,000 users....! Although blistering growth rates like 107% tend to cool off as it gets harder and harder to keep doubling the amount of broadband users each year.

[devil]

What the hell is 26,000? Peanuts! And most of those are either in the Nicosia urban area and in the SBAs. I have a friend who cannot get it in fairly central Larnaca and I've heard the same for Nicosia and Limassol, as well.

As jmoutinho pointed out 53% of households have Internet access and only 4% have ADSL. Even if the figure has doubled in the meanwhile, 8% is still pathetically low. CYTA have a lot to answer for; their interest is making money, not satisfying customer demand.

When I first applied in May 2000 for ADSL, I was told I would have it about the end of the year. I'm still waiting Each time I try to kick their ass, they say different stories. Earlier this year I was told that, as I was the only person in the village, it was not worthwhile. I asked around and found there were st least 31 applicants that I could find. When I pointed out that they were lying, they said that the village was not on their schedule for equipping. I raised an unholy fuss and threatened them with "further action". Then, a week or two ago, I got an e-mail from cyta stating

According to our development program, ADSL in your area will be implemented around the end of the year or early 2006.

I'll wait and see whether this is just another empty promise as I've seen so many times before.

[Piratis]

jmoutinho, broadband is relatively new in Cyprus (compared with western Europe). We just need some more time.

Until recently dial-up was subsidized and this might be another reason for the low broadband penetration.

I hope that more Cypriot businesses will realize the benefits of the internet and this will push Cyprus as a whole forward.

[devil]

jmoutinho, broadband is relatively new in Cyprus (compared with western Europe). We just need some more time.

Until recently dial-up was subsidized and this might be another reason for the low broadband penetration.

I hope that more Cypriot businesses will realize the benefits of the internet and this will push Cyprus as a whole forward.

Relatively new? It was relatively new over 5 years ago. In fact, I believe the first blurb came out roughly at the same time as BT brought their's out.

[andytandreou]

Relatively new? It was relatively new over 5 years ago. In fact, I believe the first blurb came out roughly at the same time as BT brought their's out.

It makes you wish there was a competitor offering of ADSL that didn't use the Cyta network. If what Hazza has been saying is accurate then PrimeTel will be doing just that. Once Cyta has competition in a market segment they control they instantly react (see 97% discount on international calls). It used to cost 90 cents to call to USA but today it costs something like 4-5 cents. It's mad!

[Sotos]

It was relatively new over 5 years ago.

Are you talking about their pilot program? I think officially they started in 2002. Anyhow 3 years is not very new.

[cyprusgrump]

When I considered moving to Cyprus in May 2002 I remember checking Cyta’s website and finding the broadband was available in Cyprus, high speed, low cost, etc.

It failed to mention that it wasn’t available in the village that I moved to (or most of the island for that matter) and of course at the time I had no ‘phone number so it wasn’t possible to check availability.