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According to research done by the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...
(OECD), the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
is ranked with
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
in having the most broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, has no
bandwidth cap A data cap, often referred to as a bandwidth cap, is a restriction imposed on data transfer over a network. In particular, it refers to policies imposed by an internet service provider to limit customers' usage of their services; typically, excee ...
s, and has the most homes passed in Europe in terms of connection speeds of 50 Mbit/s and higher. In the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2022 report, the Netherlands ranks third among 27 EU countries. It performs strongly in digital proficiency, with 79% of its population possessing basic digital skills, surpassing the EU average of 54%. The nation's connectivity infrastructure is robust, with 97% fixed broadband and 94%
mobile broadband Mobile broadband is the marketing term for Wireless broadband, wireless Internet access via mobile network, mobile (cell) networks. Access to the network can be made through a portable modem, wireless modem, or a Tablet computer, tablet/smartp ...
coverage, both exceeding EU averages of 78% and 87%, respectively. In digital technology integration, 75% of Dutch
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by many national agencies and international organiza ...
(SMEs) demonstrate basic digital readiness, which is higher than the EU's 55%. Additionally, digital public services are advanced, with 92%
e-government E-government (known for electronic government) involves utilizing technology devices, such as computers and the Internet, for faster means of delivering public services to citizens and other persons in a country or region. E-government offer ...
usage compared to the EU average of 65%.


Internet and digital progress


Fixed broadband

The Netherlands demonstrates a very robust level of fixed broadband infrastructure. Its adoption rate of 97% notably exceeds the EU average of 78%. For broadband speeds of at least 100 Mbit/s, the uptake is 47%, slightly above the EU's 41%. The Netherlands excels in Fast Broadband (NGA) coverage with 99%, surpassing the EU average of 90%. Its Fixed Very High Capacity Network (VHCN) coverage is also notable at 91%, compared to the EU average of 70%. Additionally, Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) coverage in the Netherlands is 52%, marginally above the EU's 50%.


Mobile broadband

Mobile broadband Mobile broadband is the marketing term for Wireless broadband, wireless Internet access via mobile network, mobile (cell) networks. Access to the network can be made through a portable modem, wireless modem, or a Tablet computer, tablet/smartp ...
shows strong performance with a 94% take-up rate, higher than the EU average of 87%. However, the country is somewhat behind in 5G spectrum allocation, at 33% compared to the EU's 56%. Despite this, it achieves a notable 97% coverage of 5G in populated areas, exceeding the EU average of 66%.


Digital public services

According to the DESI 2022 report, the Netherlands ranks fourth in the EU for digital public services. A notable 92% of its internet users engage with
e-government E-government (known for electronic government) involves utilizing technology devices, such as computers and the Internet, for faster means of delivering public services to citizens and other persons in a country or region. E-government offer ...
services, higher than the EU average of 65%. The country scores 85 out of 100 for digital services to citizens and 88 out of 100 for businesses, both above the EU averages of 75 and 82, respectively.
Open data Open data are data that are openly accessible, exploitable, editable and shareable by anyone for any purpose. Open data are generally licensed under an open license. The goals of the open data movement are similar to those of other "open(-so ...
utilization is high at 92%, compared to the EU's 81%. These achievements align with the country's strategic initiatives for digitalization, as outlined in the 2020 NL Digibeter Agenda and the I-Strategy for 2021–2025. Focused on inclusivity, accessibility, innovation, and ethical technology use, these strategies have supported the broad adoption of
digital identity A digital identity is data stored on Computer, computer systems relating to an individual, organization, application, or device. For individuals, it involves the collection of personal data that is essential for facilitating automated access to ...
solutions, such as DigiD for citizens and eHerkenning for businesses, with over 96% of the population having access to at least one e-ID.


Internet censorship

Government-mandated Internet censorship is nonexistent due to the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
speaking out against filtering on multiple occasions, although there have been proposals to filter child pornography and the Netherlands, like many countries, is grappling with how to prevent or control copyright infringement on the Internet. Internet filtering in the Netherlands is not classified by the OpenNet Initiative (ONI).


Child pornography

In 2008
Ernst Hirsch Ballin Ernst Maurits Henricus Hirsch Ballin (born 15 December 1950) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist. After the election of 1989 Hirsch Ballin was appointed as Minister of Justice in the Cab ...
, then Minister of Justice, proposed a plan to regulate the blocking of websites known to contain
child pornography Child pornography (also abbreviated as CP, also called child porn or kiddie porn, and child sexual abuse material, known by the acronym CSAM (underscoring that children can not be deemed willing participants under law)), is Eroticism, erotic ma ...
. A blacklist would have been composed by the ''Meldpunt ter bestrijding van Kinderpornografie op Internet'' (hotline combating child pornography on the Internet) and used by
Internet service provider An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides a myriad of services related to accessing, using, managing, or participating in the Internet. ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, no ...
s to redirect the websites to a stop page. The blacklist would contain websites hosted in nations where the Dutch authorities had no means of tracking and prosecution. Situations such as the blocking of Wikipedia would have been avoided, according to the working group behind the filter. Under the proposal, stop pages were to be hosted by individual providers, an example being UPC Netherlands. The pages would not log traffic since they were not being used as a tracking mechanism; rather, their use would be for private parties to contribute to combating the spreading of child pornography. This plan never gained traction and was only backed by UPC and an orthodox Protestant provider of filtered internet services, Kliksafe. Providers would not be forced to use it since that would be unconstitutional according to a research done by the governmental Scientific Research and Documentation Center (WODC) commissioned by the Ministry of Security and Justice. In 2010 a report was released by the ''Werkgroep Blokkeren Kinderporno'' (working group for blocking child pornography). It compared the filter in its last form with information from the Internet Watch Foundation. While they had "much wider criteria", the number of websites on the block list went from 2000 in previous years to less than 400 in 2010. The report stated that in the Dutch situation this would mean an "almost complete lack of websites to block" because the sharing of the material was no longer done by conventional websites, but by other services. In 2011 the plan was pulled by Ivo Opstelten for this reason. The
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
reaffirmed this by voting against the filter later that year, effectively killing any plans for government censorship.


Copyright infringement

In January 2012, the internet providers
Ziggo Ziggo Holding B.V. ( ) is the largest cable operator in the Netherlands, providing digital cable television, Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers. History The company is the result of the merger between ...
and
XS4ALL XS4ALL was an Internet service provider (ISP) in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1993 as an offshoot of the Hacker (computer security), hackers club Hack-Tic by Felipe Rodriquez, Rop Gonggrijp, Paul Jongsma and Cor Bosman, while based in Amster ...
were required by a court order in a case brought by the Bescherming Rechten Entertainment Industrie Nederland (BREIN) to block the website of
The Pirate Bay The Pirate Bay, commonly abbreviated as TPB, is a free searchable online index of Film, movies, music, video games, Pornographic film, pornography and software. Founded in 2003 by Swedish think tank , The Pirate Bay facilitates the connection ...
due to copyright infringement. This blocking raised questions within the government, customers, and the internet providers themselves, not only because of the blocking, but also about its randomness and the role of BREIN, an industry
trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. Through collabor ...
that can change the blacklist. The Pirate Bay called BREIN a corrupt organization, while the government is mostly concerned about freedom of speech and privacy. In May 2012, the Internet providers
KPN Koninklijke KPN N.V. (Royal KPN N.V. in English), trading as KPN is a Dutch List of telephone operating companies, telecommunications company. KPN originated from a government-run postal, telegraph and telephone service and is based in Rotterda ...
, UPC,
T-Mobile T-Mobile is the brand of telecommunications by Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom AG (, ; often just Telekom, DTAG or DT; stylised as ·T·) is a partially state-owned German telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn and the largest telec ...
, and Tele2 were also required to block The Pirate Bay. However, in January 2014, a court overturned the initial verdict and ruled that Ziggo and XS4ALL no longer have to block The Pirate Bay. BREIN has since moved to an appeal with the Hoge Raad, the highest court in the Netherlands, arguing that the ruling is in violation of European law. A month later, UPC unblocked access to the site following an agreement with BREIN. As of September 2017, Ziggo and XS4All are once again ordered to block The Pirate Bay, this time by the Dutch Court. Other providers now also need to block the Pirate Bay.


Russia Today and Sputnik news

The websites of Russia Today and
Sputnik Sputnik 1 (, , ''Satellite 1''), sometimes referred to as simply Sputnik, was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space progra ...
were blocked on 2 March 2022 following a ruling from the
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
. As of December 2024 the sites are still blocked. One of the main internet providers,
Ziggo Ziggo Holding B.V. ( ) is the largest cable operator in the Netherlands, providing digital cable television, Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers. History The company is the result of the merger between ...
, uses a DNS block to prevent users from accessing the sites. When a different DNS is configured RT and Sputnik can still be accessed using a Ziggo connection.


Network neutrality

In June 2011 the Dutch House of Representatives voted for network neutrality enforced by law. The revised ''Telecommunicatiewet'' ("Telecommunications Act") was formally ratified by the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
in May 2012. Among other things the law prohibits the blocking of Internet content.


Data retention

In accordance with
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
directive 2006/24/EC providers had to store information about internet traffic. While in the original implementation the duration was set to twelve months this was changed to six months due to questionable usefulness and necessity. The directive was annulled in 2014.


See also

* .nl * .frl *
IPv6 deployment The deployment of IPv6, the latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP), has been in progress since the mid-2000s. IPv6 was designed as the successor protocol for IPv4 with an expanded addressing space. IPv4, which has been in use since 1982, i ...
* Telecommunications in the Netherlands


References

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