The Internet in Estonia is an important ingredient that keeps the country on a development trajectory. Being a high income country as per the World Bank records, you can already understand that almost the entire population of Estonia live above the poverty line. So, internet subscription in Estonia isn’t something that will require an individual to forego any basic need. To say the least, the internet in Estonia is a must have for anyone who wants to have a smooth living in the country. With digitization of almost everything taking the centre stage in Estonia, it gets pretty hard to do stuff offline.
When you come to Estonia, what really strikes your attention is modernity. Things are streamlined to operate with the highest possible efficiency and this only tells that the internet isn’t a compromise anyone can make. Actually, when Covid-19 threatened to take down economies, employees in Estonia resorted to working from home, a fact that has further elevated the focus on reliable internet connection.
In a nutshell, you will need an internet connection for social media access, conferences, studies, research, international calls, reading mails, accessing banks and even online government services. I guess this information is an eye opener that sets the stage to anyone considering a temporary or permanent relocation to Estonia.
Also read about: Dating in Estonia which gives great information especially for those singles moving to the country and would like to freely mingle.
Internet Penetration in Estonia
By all considerations, backed by reputable data from the United Nations and World Bank, Estonia has a population of 1.34 million people. Of this population, up to 88% were reported to have at least some form of internet connection in 2017. This data shows that the population is on a fast pace to ensure that they catch up with the internet of things. A newcomer to Estonia would not wish to miss out on the World Bank statistics that place the country at position thirteen.
Just to get an impression that the high internet connection and use in Estonia is not just sheer statements, a simple trial will do. Open your mobile phone Wi-Fi at any point in Estonia, and see the endless list of available connections. Although most of the available connections will require user password to use, the list alone tells a story of a country that is ahead in claiming its space in the internet race. It may be a surprise to a visitor in Estonia to get 4G coverage even in the middle of the woods.
Internet Service Providers in Estonia
The Estonian Telecoms market is one of the most developed in Eastern Europe. There are four main internet service providers (ISPs) in Estonia. The internet service market in Estonia is competitive and players ensure that they deliver the best quality lest they lose subscribers. In any case, every subscriber has a chance to make subscriptions that match their individual needs which the provider will do their best to fulfill. In case they get an unexpected disruption that would necessitate a downtime or such, they will quickly correct it, compensate and apologize. This points to an internet service market where companies work earnestly to keep customers satisfied.
The ISPs in Estonia include;
- Elion with a market share of 59%
- Starman taking 16.3%
- Elisa
- Tele 2
- Others which account for 24.7% of the marke
All the ISPs in Estonia offer various forms of connection including 4G, Broadband, DSL, ADSL, Cable and many more. So it is upon an individual to decide which options best suit own needs. The subscriptions are mostly offered as a package which then gives the subscriber a broad range of services for a preset amount.
Factors to Consider when Subscribing for Internet in Estonia
Internet connection in Estonia is not a luxury that a person can ignore and expect living in the country to continue smoothly. So for both private and business needs, the internet subscription must make it to your monthly expense list. However, you as a person reserve the responsibility of assessing needs vis-à-vis available offers.
Just like one chooses the best electricity or water service provider, the same approach applies in the case of internment connection in Estonia. While there is a whole range of things that one needs to focus on when selecting best provider from the park, here is a headstart for subscribers in Estonia;
Availability: This is the biggest deciding factor in rural parts of Estonia. When one wants a high-speed cable or fiber connection, it is important to ensure that the internet provider is servicing the area. Subscribers can also opt for satellite and either some type of broadband.
Speed: Internet Subscribers consider speed as one of the main factors. This is because businesses and individuals do not want delays in their activities. Imagine a case where banking internet banking activities are slowed down because of low-speed internet.
Other factors: Cost, type of connections and reliability.
Internet Usage in Estonia
Estonia has relatively high internet usage. The usages include internet banking and e-government services as well as high broadband penetration, although the incumbent holds a monopoly of ADSL. E-education in Estonia is among the best in the world.
E-Government Services in Estonia that will require internet connection
Estonia is among the countries in the world ranked in the group of elite countries by the UN’s E-Government Development index. Estonian citizens and public servants are able to access a wide range of services online using secure digital identity (IDs). The services include but are not limited to making payments with the taxation authority and other government agencies, accessing full health records, and internet voting.
Internet Banking in Estonia require internet connection
According to a 2002 report by Estonia Bankers Association, the first internet bank in Estonia was introduced in 1996. Emor, in his book published in 2003, states that Estonia has relatively high penetration of personal computers and internet access, where forty-five percent of the Estonian population aged between 15 years and 74 years were users of the internet. This shows just how high the penetration of internet banking was spreading fast.
Estonia ranks among the best countries to do business in. There is no need to emphasize the great role that banks in Estonia are playing in creating and promoting the nation’s e-government solutions. Bank wholeheartedly accepted the idea of e-IDs, encouraging customers to use their identity cards for secure transactions, and even giving away free card readers. Banks also helped the citizens online by evolving and offering high quality standard internet banking services. Currently, over 99% of banking transactions in the country happen through the internet.
Internet use for E-education in Estonia
According to e-estonia.com, e-education occurs mainly on the Estonian Education Information System. This is a database that stores information about educational institutions, teachers, students, and documents. It allows teachers to do an overview of the students. The government is also able to establish trends in the education sector. Students on the other hand can make applications to universities through the system by simply transferring their documents by a click.
The Estonian government had plans of digitizing educational materials by the year 2020.
