Internet in Poland

The term "Internet in Poland" refers to various aspects related to the state of the Internet in the Republic of Poland. This encompasses issues such as Internet access, governance, freedom, and infrastructure, as well as social, economic, and political factors that contribute to the digital landscape in Poland.

As of 2024^[update], 95.9% of households in Poland had internet access, of which 72.1% had fixed broadband with median download speeds of 152.13 Mbps and upload speeds of 45.24 Mbit/s, while access to mobile broadband internet was present in 75.9% of households. Overall, 99.9% of households with children and 98.7% of businesses reported having broadband internet access. 56.1% of all fixed-line connections are fiber-optic, including 56.2% between 300 and 1000 Mbit/s

Internet usage in Poland varies by age group, with significantly higher rates among the younger generations, as 100% of those aged 18–24 and 96% of those aged 25–34 use the Internet. However, there is a notable digital divide, as only 25% of individuals aged 65 and older are connected.

Moreover, data shows that 58.5% of the population in Poland engages with e-government platforms, accessing a range of online resources and public services.

The first analogue Internet connection was launched on September 26, 1990, and had a speed of approximately 9600 bits per second. The Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences received the first IP address in Poland (192.86.14.0) on 19 November 1990, assigned to it by the United States Department of Defense. This institute was also the recipient of the first e-mail sent to Poland, sent by CERN on 20 November 1990, and received on a MicroVax II computer.

The European Commission's 2022 Digital Economy and Society Index report evaluates Poland's digital sector among 27 European Union (EU) nations. Poland is 24th in human capital, with 43% of citizens having basic digital skills and 3.5% working as Information and Communication Technology specialists. For connectivity, Poland ranks 25th, with 69% of households having broadband coverage. In digital technology integration, 19% of businesses use cloud services and 8% employ Big Data with in a ranking of 24th. Digital public services rank 22nd, showing advancements in e-government and open data, but requiring better online service availability.

Poland's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), integral to the "Path to the Digital Decade Policy Programme", allocates over EUR 7.5 billion, 21.3% of its total fund, to digital transformation post-COVID-19. It prioritizes enhancing digital infrastructure, including broadband and 5G network development, and invests in network deployment, digital public services, education, digital skills, and cybersecurity.

As of 2022, 65% of Polish households were subscribed to 100 Mbit/s broadband, surpassing the EU average of 55%. The country's Fixed Very High Capacity Network (VHCN) coverage also grew from 65% in 2020 to 71% in 2022, nearing the EU average of 73%. Furthermore, the increase in Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) coverage from 45% to 60% during the same period marked progress, placing Poland above the EU average of 56%.