ComReg has today published the results of its 2025 Mobile Consumer Experience Survey. The survey results show the importance that Irish consumers place on their mobile phone service.
- Handset ownership is almost universal across the country, and of those with a handset, 93% own a smartphone.
- Most users own an Apple or Samsung device (combined 85% market share), and use a smartphone for under two years before buying another device.
- The incidence of consumers owning refurbished (second-hand) smartphones has doubled (13% of respondents) since the last survey in 2022, underscoring positive momentum toward more sustainable technology choices.
- In terms of coverage experience, satisfaction has increased since 2022. The 2025 findings show that 85% of respondents were satisfied with mobile coverage at their home, and 86% outside their home. 33% of all respondents had experienced loss of signal in the previous month, with rural respondents more impacted.
- The market remains sticky with only 17% of respondents switching in the last three years. Price drives decision-making in this space, with 53% of respondents noting this as their first reason for switching. This is the case both when switching providers and switching plans with the same provider.
- Price also drives decisions to stay with current plans, with 44% of those not switching noting price satisfaction as the key reason for this. The switching process is relatively simple, with 64% noting it was extremely easy.
- The results show an engaged Irish user who is consistently spending significant time on their device, with calling and messaging ranked as most important followed by social media, emailing, and general browsing. 63% of respondents are bill pay customers. 71% of customers do not worry about paying their phone bill/buying credit as they can comfortably afford it. The average monthly spend for bill pay customers is €39.75, while pre-pay customers are spending €19.84 on average per month.
Commenting on the survey findings, ComReg Chairperson, Garrett Blaney said: “The results of the MCE survey demonstrate the important role mobile services continue to play in people’s daily lives. While new use cases can be seen in comparison to previous iterations – such as generative AI services for personal and work use – traditional mobile services such as voice calls and SMS messages are still ranked as the most essential services by respondents. The adoption of 5G and satisfaction with coverage, as seen in the survey, show that the evolving needs of consumers are met.”
Background
In 2025, ComReg commissioned Ipsos B&A to carry out a survey on the mobile services experience of Irish consumers. The survey provides insights into the usage, perceptions and experiences of mobile phone users in Ireland. The survey covered topics relating to the mobile experience including:
- Mobile phone ownership & usage
- Mobile network coverage issues and satisfaction
- Network and Plan Switching
The face-to-face survey included responses from almost 3,000 consumers from throughout the country. This survey is part of ComReg’s research programme with previous iterations conducted in 2017, 2019 and 2022. Although the sampling methodology has changed in this iteration, the 2025 survey can still be compared to previous iterations to track trends across time. The data collected from this survey project will be used to conduct in-depth analysis on the Irish mobile market.
The full results of the survey can be found on the ComReg Publications page, with key highlights featured in accompanying infographic.
