The connectivity in offices is constantly being tested, especially during peak activity. A study conducted by Netquest for DE-CIX reveals a striking technological paradox in the country: Spaniards continue to sign up for ever-faster Internet connections, yet they keep experiencing delays, stalls, and outages caused by latency and inefficient routing.
The study reveals that 82% of Spaniards are unaware that network interruptions or freezes are caused by inefficiencies in data transport (routing) and latency, wrongly believing that any connectivity problem can be solved by simply buying more speed. This technical knowledge gap highlights the limitations of marketing campaigns that focus exclusively on selling more “megabits” or “gigabits”.
Misleading Advertising and User Complaints
The gap between what is promised in ads and real-world experience in these spaces is eroding trust in the sector. Nearly a third of respondents say they feel misled by the advertising campaigns from providers, perceiving that high speeds are marketed to mask a lack of connection stability.
Without understanding the technical origin of the interruptions, consumers blame their immediate surroundings: 45% directly blame their telecom provider when the network fails, while 25% point to their router or devices. This instability translates into complaints to customer support channels: 20% of Spaniards admit having lost their temper and argued with their provider’s support team because of these incidents.
Thus, network faults have stopped being mere inconveniences and have become a reputational risk. Interruptions or delays are deemed unacceptable by 54% of users at work, 48% during video calls, and 40% during online classes or training sessions. In fact, 76% of respondents describe being frozen on screen in the middle of a live virtual meeting or class as uncomfortable or stressful.
This pressure leads to pre-existing emotional strain: 49% of those who work or study remotely report experiencing “anticipatory stress,” i.e., the fear that the connection will fail just before a presentation or a decisive moment. Moreover, when technical problems persist, 35% try to resolve the situation on their own by rebooting the router or the Wi‑Fi network.
Consequences for Telcos: Stability Over Speed
The report warns of a highly volatile landscape for those companies that do not offer reliable solutions. 88% of Spaniards consider a poor or unstable connection enough reason to consider switching providers. Specifically, 61% would switch or seriously consider doing so if they were guaranteed a network with maximum stability and no outages.
The market demands tangible guarantees: 20% of consumers would be willing to pay an extra monthly fee for a “Zero-Delay Guarantee” that ensures their video conferences or live streams never suffer interruptions.
