Survey on Internet Usage and User Satisfaction in 2024

Annual Survey Conducted at the End of the Year on a Representative Sample of One Thousand Respondents Aged 18 to 65

ZAGREB, 6 February 2025 - At the end of 2024, the annual survey on internet usage habits and user experiences in the Republic of Croatia was conducted on a representative sample of one thousand respondents aged 18 to 65. The survey was carried out by the agency 4 Market Research d.o.o. on behalf of the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM).

Service Usage

The survey revealed that there have been no significant changes in recent years, in terms of internet usage habits. The majority of respondents (74%) access the internet at home as part of a service bundle, with 91% of users believing that this provides them with all the necessary services. The most commonly used electronic communication services in households with internet access are fixed and mobile network internet access and mobile voice services (around 80%), video streaming services (53%), and fixed network voice services (47%), the latter of which has seen a decline in usage compared to the previous year.

92% of users primarily rely on a home WiFi network, for home internet access for home internet access, while 58% connect via a mobile network. The dominant devices used for internet access are smartphones (97%) and laptops (84%), while desktop computers are used by 43% of respondents. The most common online activities include reading emails (91%), browsing social media (90%), and making voice and video calls over the internet (83%). More than 50% of respondents stated that they would like to use the internet for remote work in the future, while 42% expressed interest in using it for education. Additionally, it was noted that most respondents use WhatsApp for voice and video calls (88%), while only 19% use SMS services on a daily basis.

Price as a Decisive Factor

Nearly two in three respondents (63%) have switched providers at least once, with the most common reasons being lower prices from competitors (54%) and slow internet speeds (47%). A third of respondents would change providers if prices increased by more than 10%, while all users would switch if another provider offered a price 20% lower than their current one.

How Important Is Internet Speed to Users?

When choosing a provider, the most important factors are internet speed (79%) and low package prices (74%). Almost a third of users (30%) have never checked their internet speed, while 39% have only done so after noticing a decline in performance. HAKOMetar, a tool used to measure internet speed and provide legally valid evidence in disputes with providers, was used by 23% of respondents over the past year.

The most frequently reported issues include internet access disruptions, slow speeds, and WiFi network problems. More than half of respondents (53%) have contacted customer support multiple times, with 60% satisfied with the quality of the response and 50% with the speed of service. Users are most satisfied with fixed network internet services (70%), while satisfaction with mobile home internet has slightly increased compared to previous years (65%). A positive trend continues regarding users who have not experienced any internet issues, rising from 8% to 15% over the past four years. Notably, in 70% of cases, providers resolved internet issues within one hour.

Online Security

Almost all users take at least some measures to maintain online security. The most common practices include avoiding app downloads from unknown sources (73%), using secure passwords, protecting personal data, and avoiding contact with unknown individuals. Despite these precautions, 20% of respondents reported being victims of cyberattacks, 14% experienced online harassment, and 21% stated they had reported online abuse.

The full survey results are available at the following link.