In this survey, respondents were asked about the types of internet connection that they have at home. They may have a fixed broadband connection (such as cable, optical fibre, satellite, etc.) or mobile broadband connection (via the mobile phone network with minimum 3G) or in some cases, narrowband connection (dial‐up access over normal telephone line or ISDN or mobile narrowband connection of less than 3G). Persons may have more than one type of internet connection at home, and this chapter covers household internet access and type of connection used.
In 2022, 94% of households have an internet connection, an increase of one percentage point since 2021. Household internet connectivity was highest for the Dublin region (97%), compared with the Border region (90% of households). See Table 3.1.
In 2022, almost all households with dependent children have internet access. This compares with just over four in five (82%) households comprised of one adult with no dependent children. See Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1.
| Household composition | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult no dependent children | 79 | 82 |
| 2 adults no dependent children | 93 | 95 |
| 3 or more adults no dependent children | 94 | 96 |
| 1 adult with dependent children | 98 | 98 |
| 2 adults with dependent children | 99 | 99 |
| 3 or more adults with dependent children | 99 | 99 |
Data for 2022 indicates that fixed broadband is the most common type of internet access in the household (85% of households compared with 34% using mobile broadband). Note that more than one type of internet connection may be used in households. See Table 3.2.
Fixed broadband connection is highest in the Dublin region at 92% of households, compared with the Border region (77% of households). See Figure 3.2 and Table 3.2.
There are differences in fixed broadband connection between deprivation quintiles. Fixed broadband connection is most common for households in very affluent areas at 92% of households. For households in very disadvantaged areas, 84% have fixed broadband connection, and over eight in every ten (81%) households in disadvantaged areas have a fixed broadband connection in their home. See Table 3.2.
Mobile broadband internet connection was most common in households made up of just one adult with no dependent children, at 39% of these households, while fixed broadband connectivity had 76% penetration for these households. See Table 3.2.
| Fixed broadband | Mobile broadband | Narrowband connection | |
| Border | 77 | 40 | 3 |
| Midlands | 79 | 37 | 3 |
| West | 80 | 31 | 4 |
| Dublin | 92 | 32 | 1 |
| Mid-East | 86 | 35 | 3 |
| Mid-West | 83 | 38 | 3 |
| South-East | 84 | 38 | 4 |
| South-West | 83 | 29 | 3 |
In 2022, of the 6% of households with no internet access, nearly six in ten (56%) of these households reported that the reason for no access was that they do not need the internet. Nearly one third (32%) reported lack of skills or knowledge as a reason for not having household internet access. Equipment costs too high and access costs too high were cited by 10% and 7% of households respectively as the reason for not having a household internet connection, while just 2% of households stated privacy/security concerns. One in fourteen (7%) of these households reported that broadband internet was not available in their area. One in twelve (8%) stated that they had access to the internet elsewhere (at work, local library, etc.). Note that more than one reason may have been selected by respondents. See Figure 3.3 and Table 3.3.
| Reasons for not using internet connected devices | Do not need internet | Lack of skills | Equipment costs too high | Access to internet elsewhere | Access costs too high | Broadband internet not available in the area | Privacy/security concerns | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasons for not using internet connected devices | 56 | 32 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 4 |
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