Prices for mobile and fixed internet have stayed stable this year, even decreasing in some cases, according to analysis by the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute (ILR). The institute has analysed the evolution of the telecommunications market and published the results.
Luc Tapella, director of ILR, said Luxembourg had a good network, while internet consumption has risen across the population. He also highlighted increased usage of data abroad.
Generally, data consumption has increased, particularly for mobile devices, while internet speeds at home have increased hugely. Tapella expected this trend to continue over the next few years.
For mobile phone contracts, people are less interested in the number of minutes or text messages included in a plan, but instead focus on the amount of data available. The majority of Luxembourg residents have around 2.5GB data and pay an average of €27.65 a month, although many have far more expensive contracts.
Tapella explained Luxembourg is a market, where the majority of consumers opt for more expensive offers, containing more data. However, when actual consumption is examined, it has become evident that consumers use far less than they pay for.
It is therefore important to regularly check one's actual data usage and select an appropriate mobile phone plan based on this usage.
The IRL offers "Fiches signalétiques", data sheets which provide a comparison between each operator and their offers. Tapella said every operator needs to create a clear and concise sheet for each offer, showing bullet points in order to clearly advise customers of the offer's contents.
Mobile phone offers change on a regular basis, so Tapella said it was interesting to regularly compare them, noting that people who consume a lot tend to receive better offers with lower prices.
For fixed internet, Luxembourgers have a tendency to purchases packages comprising home telephones and television. The amount is no longer the focus here, instead replaced with speed.
The majority of residents have internet speeds of 100 Mbit/second download speed, paying around €80 per month for the privilege.
