Internet Subscription in Austria

One thing that we can always agree on is that internet access is fast becoming a basic need across the world in response to the internet of things age. When you plan a trip to Austria, be it for a short or a longer stay, it is necessary to start thinking about the internet service providers in Austria. Surely, internet subscription will be on the top list of priorities. 

The reality today is that the internet isn’t something that people can just ignore because so many services have digitized and many things we rely on today use the internet. Let’s say you arrive at the Vienna International Airport from abroad and want to find your way to small cities such as Salsburg, Google Map will help find directions. It is a no-brainer that Google maps will need the internet. The same applies when you settle in Austria as most televisions are smart and accessing channels requires the internet. 

In short, internet subscription in Austria can’t be considered a by the way need anymore. In one way or the other, you will always need internet access in Austria. Whether it is internet access using data bundles or broadband, you will need it, that is a promise. 

Thinking about internet subscription in Austria 

Whether you’re relocating with the whole family or branching out alone, the very first and key thing to do is to get access to the internet. Generally starting life in Austria means you have to start from scratch in terms of internet connection. An existing phone line may be present but you still need to set up your subscription.

Internet access is the ability of individuals and organizations to connect to the Internet using computer terminals, computers, and other devices; and to access services such as email and the World Wide Web. Many organizations, including a growing number of municipal entities, also provide cost-free wireless access and landlines. With the existence of the modern world, countries have adapted to the use of the internet.

Data abroad in Austria.

This is also known as data roaming and is known to be the most dangerous way to stay connected to the internet in Austria. Most people moving in for the first time are fooled to use this but it turns out to be a total scam. Therefore no one should try this as you may end up losing a lot of money through this.

Speed of internet in Austria

Some people may argue that the current generation is microwave and just wants things done fast. It is true that people do not want to have things that delay. In Austria, you don’t expect to have an internet service that loads for 2 minutes before a feedback appears. Imagine a situation where you change a tv channel and it takes 2 minutes to buffer and breaks occasionally due to poor internet signals. That can be an annoying experience. But, in Austria, you are so lucky that such bad experiences rarely occur and in the unlikely event that a service provider experiences a downtime, it’s quickly fixed so that you as the customer don’t feel cheated. 

If you are looking to socialise, surf online or simply shop, then you will be pleased to know Austria’s internet network is fast enough. Speed test Global Index rates Austrian Internet as slower than some European countries but still good enough to meet customer daily needs. The average internet speed in Austria is approximated at 72.15 MB/s. Typical speeds are up to 30Mbit/s download and 5 Mbit/s upload over DSL (up to 50Mbit/s download over VDSL), and up to 250Mbit/s download and 25 Mbit/s upload over cable.

As for mobile speeds, Austria currently ranks at position 31 globally, behind countries like Qatar which is number one, South Korea at  number three, Norway and the Netherlands at number 8 and 9 respectively.  

Internet speed  network researchers reveals  that the fastest mobile operator among top providers in Austria is the A1 Telekom Austria  is the leading fixed and mobile network operator in Austria, with 5.4 million mobile and 2.3 million fixed-line customers and it has a median download speed of 69.80 Mbps.

Cost of internet in Austria.

When thinking about making an internet subscription in Austria, one thing that will quickly ring alarm bells is the cost attached to it. You can be sure that in Austria, you will have a duty to always pay for the internet subscription as per the signed agreement. If you are using a prepaid internet service then expect to have bills coming every other month. For post-paid internet subscription, a package is given at an agreed amount which you have to pay for upfront. 

For those of you who are cost conscious, the average cost for internet service in Austria ranges from around $47 to $69 per month, depending on speed. Here is a rough idea about how much it will cost you to surf the internet or watch your smart television set in Austria, whichever applies. 

Popular internet Service providers in Austria

The digital subscriber line (DSL) providers dominate the Austrian broadband market . DSL providers rapidly overtook cable as the preferred access method.

There are also mobile services employing UMTS/HSDPA and LTE are rapidly gaining ground due to fierce market competition. Some providers also offer fibre optic connections letting the user access significantly faster download speeds. Another internet provider is SDSL and optical fibre access which is also available. 

Some of the popular internet service providers in Austria include;

• A1 Telekom Austria
• Magenta Telekom
• Hutchison Drei Austria

All the three operators listed above provide internet through fibre optic Internet, cable Internet, DSL Internet and LTE Internet via mobile communications.

The forms in which the internet access is available in Austria include;

• Kabel denotes cable Internet via television cable (coaxial cable.
• DSL / Telefon stands for Internet over the telephone line. 
• LTE / Mobilfunk means Internet via the mobile phone network, here via the 4G network.
• WI-FI.
• Local area networks.
• Leased lines and many more.

Based on the history of internet providers in Austria, A1 remains to be the most popular internet provider for many Austrian residents. However, one should not stop at A1 and is free to explore the above-mentioned providers.

Final thoughts about Internet Subscription in Austria

Internet access in Austria is primarily through independent  Internet service providers (ISPs). The ISPs deliver connectivity at a wide range of data transfer rates via various networking technologies. 

For anyone who is moving into a trendy apartment in the heart of Vienna’s happiest  districts, or a family home in the beautiful Alpine city of Innsbruck, one thing’s for certain is connecting your home to internet, landline telephone, and TV will be one of the first things on your to-do list when you move in. Internet connection aimed at laying out everything necessary for setting up your home communications

If you’re a new arrival to the country, the idea of setting up the internet calls upon an immediate action mainly to ease the means of communication.

People like tourists, the areas they visit such as tourist attractions offer free Wi-Fi these days.  For Museums, malls, monuments and even parks there are free hotspots for Wi-Fi. Though they aren’t always secure networks, you can at least use them to share with family and friends. In most cases, you have unlimited use of Wi-Fi for free.

People can also access the internet through satellite and VSAT, Home internet which is payable monthly, business internet and many more other forms.