Austrians own an average of 5.5 communication-capable devices

Increasing investments with falling sales

“The numbers show Austrians’ unbroken hunger for data,” says FMK President Volker Libovsky. “Without 5G we would no longer be able to achieve this increase.” With the latest generation of mobile communications, 97 percent of the population can be reached across providers. The three major mobile phone providers continue to invest a lot of money in their networks. In 2025, 902 million euros were invested (2024: 881 million euros). Sales, on the other hand, rose from 3.75 billion euros 3.53 billion euros sunk.

The pressure is particularly high when tariffs are cheap

The pressure on mobile operators has increased, says Libovsky, but also emphasizes that the industry is the only one that is currently dampening inflation. This is also due to cheap tariffs. The pressure has particularly increased in the “low-end area”. “Every operator has to answer for themselves how this will work out in terms of sales.” The competition in mobile communications is in Austria always been hard been.

Nobody has any electronic device anymore

As every year, the FMK has once again published the results of a customer survey. The mobile communications barometer 2026 shows high levels of satisfaction with the domestic offering. 86 percent of the population owns a smartphone and 75 percent have WiFi at home. Only 12 percent use a landline telephone, 6 percent have a classic cell phone with buttons. On average, every person owns 5.5 communication-capable devices. The proportion of people who don’t own any has fallen to zero.

88 percent use WhatsApp on their smartphone

What do Austrians like to do most with their cell phones? 88 percent use WhatsApp, 76 percent use it to take photos, 63 percent use online banking. “Photos and videos make up most of the data traffic,” explains FMK managing director Margit Kropik. Online shopping is also very popular; according to Kropik, there is still “room for improvement” when it comes to completing official business over the Internet.

Concerns about social development are widespread

The Austrians’ attitude to digitalization and – for the first time – to artificial intelligence was also asked. Digitalization and AI are largely viewed positively for science and research as well as for business and industry. In view of the new technologies, those surveyed are concerned about social development and the development of the world data protection and the Privacy.

Two thirds have already used AI

63 percent of the population has used AI-based applications, most of them on smartphones. Trust in AI-generated results is ambivalent. Around half have a positive attitude, the other half negative. 8 percent don’t trust AI at all and always check results.

2 out of 10 people say they have been scammed online, although this category also includes incorrect deliveries when shopping online. 13 percent have already received blackmail emails, 12 percent have been bullied on social media. 11 percent fell victim to fraud because they responded to a fraudulent email. 51 percent however, still have no negative experiences made on the internet.