Four out of five internet connections in Cyprus now offer speeds of at least 100Mbps, the office of the commissioner of electronic communications and postal regulation (OCECPR), reported on Wednesday.

The report, covering data up to December 2024, shows that broadband access is growing steadily. Over the past year, more households and businesses have upgraded to faster connections. The number of fixed broadband subscriptions increased slightly, but the biggest change was in speed, connections offering at least 100Mbps surged in the last six months alone. Ultra-fast connections exceeding 1Gbps are also becoming more common, now making up nearly 5 per cent of total subscriptions.

Older internet technologies, like xDSL, are fading out. Last year, xDSL connections dropped by 10 per cent, now accounting for just 17 per cent of the market. Meanwhile, fibre-optic connections jumped by 12 per cent and now dominate the market, making up over 63 per cent of all subscriptions. Cable internet connections also saw a slight decline, holding a 19.6 per cent market share.

The mobile sector is growing too. In 2024, mobile subscriptions increased by more than 76,000. More people are choosing contract-based plans, with nearly 60 per cent now opting for unlimited data, calls, and messages. At the same time, prepaid mobile subscriptions fell by around 11,000. The demand for mobile internet is rising fast, with more people relying on their phones for data. This shift has slightly reduced the share of fixed-line broadband usage.

Internet use is at an all-time high. In the last quarter of 2024, the average fixed-line connection consumed about 1.1 terabytes of data. Overall, data usage, across both mobile and fixed networks, rose by nearly 19 per cent compared to 2023.

Meanwhile, traditional landline connections are becoming less common. In 2024, there were 24,000 fewer landline subscriptions than the previous year. Those who still use landlines are mostly connected through fibre-optic networks, which now account for nearly 77 per cent of all fixed-line connections. With Cyprus rapidly upgrading its digital infrastructure, experts predict fibre and high-capacity mobile networks will shape the country’s internet future.