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Technology and telecommunications infrastructure in Bulgaria — image from the original website

In the DESI 2016 report, Bulgaria achieved an overall score of 0.37 (up from 0.36) and ranked 27th. High-speed broadband is available to almost 72% of homes in Bulgaria, but there is no high-speed coverage in rural areas. Only 55% of Bulgarian households subscribe to fixed broadband (27th in Europe), although half of them benefit from a high-speed connection (10th in the EU). Bulgaria faces a serious digital skills gap: only 31% of the population has basic digital skills. Bulgarian internet users are among the most intensive users of online video calls (1st place) and social networks (6th place). Despite some progress, Bulgarian public services could make better use of digital technologies; the country ranks last in this area. Bulgaria still has a long way to go in telecommunications connectivity. The widespread availability of digital connections must be substantially strengthened, as must network coverage in rural areas. Nevertheless, the availability of high-speed connections and the widespread use of new forms of communication should be noted. Investing in Bulgaria also means investing in the use of new technologies and high-speed connections.