GO has doubled the number of customers subscribed to a 35 Mbps internet service or faster over the past 12 months. This increase in subscribers is also reflected in the Digital Economy and Society Index 2016 (DESI), published this week by the EU Commission.

DESI 2016, which placed Malta in 11th out of 28 EU Member States noted that Malta is particularly strong in broadband deployment and take-up. The Index also noted that all Maltese households are covered by fixed broadband and that 58 per cent of broadband subscriptions provide speeds of at least 30 Mbps. The Index also noted the significant increase in the use of mobile broadband internet which rose from 53 to 63 per cent, although this is still below the EU average.

Kurt Camilleri, Chief Commercial Officer at GO, said, “Consumers are increasingly aware of the advantages which GO’s internet service provides at home, at the office and on the move. Our existing fibre and DSL network, which guarantees that there is no congestion or buffering when online, coupled with GO’s ongoing roll out of Fibre-To-The-Home and fibre connected 4G network are further strengthening our position as the provider of the best broadband internet experience in Malta. It is these factors that are the foundation for the dramatic increase we have seen in GO’s internet subscriber base, particularly customers subscribing to our 35Mbps service.”

The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) is a composite index developed by the European Commission (DG CNECT) to assess the development of EU countries towards a digital economy and society. It aggregates a set of relevant indicators structured around 5 dimensions: Connectivity, Human Capital, Use of Internet, Integration of Digital Technology and Digital Public Services. The 2016 Index saw Malta rise one place from 12th to 11th when compared to 2015. Malta’s DESI score is above the EU average and the country developed faster than the EU over the last year, placing it in the ‘running ahead’ cluster of countries. More information is available at http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/digital-agenda-scoreboard