Malta’s internet amongst worst in Europe, study finds

The quality of internet in Malta is among the worst in Europe, according to a new study analysing the digital quality of life in 110 countries.

The country's internet quality ranked 59th overall, and in Europe it only beat Estonia, coming in at 37th.

Malta's internet stability was particularly poor, with both broadband and mobile internet found to be unstable, though mobile internet particularly so, and the country ranked 100th globally in this area.

This category is especially important because it measures how fast and stable the internet connectivity in a country is and how well it’s improving, the study said.

"The quality of the internet connectivity highly depends on its speed and stability," it explained.

"Slow and unstable connections inhibit daily use and diminish work efficiency, while fast and stable internet allows us to communicate better, enjoy high-quality content, and more. Consequently, it directly impacts the quality of one's digital life."

Aside from internet quality, the 2021 Digital Quality of Life study analysed countries in terms of four key pillars: internet affordability, e-infrastructure, e-security and e-Government.

The country ranked 40th globally, and 27th among the 38 EU countries on the list. It rated low in internet affordability and e-security categories, coming in at 43rd and 52nd respectively.

The research indicated that the average Maltese resident has to work for two hours and 15 minutes to purchase the cheapest broadcast package, and six minutes 15 seconds for the cheapest 1GB of mobile internet.

Broadband speed, network readiness, and artificial intelligence readiness were the country's key strengths, and the country came in at 22nd, 24th, and 30th globally in these categories.

Data for the 2021 edition of the survey was compiled by cyber-security firm Surfshark.