Summary

This benchmark shows progress similarities and differences on the path of growth of the telecom operators in Europe. Although revenues shrank and were restructured in the past five years, Telcos as Cablecos embraced differently the competition and the needs for investment in either wireless or wireline fast broadband networks.

In this report, the subscribers, revenues shares, margins and growth figures are compared throughout Europe. Market dynamics are detailed for 6 sub-regions with similar economics: Scandinavia, Central Europe, Southern Europe, Southeastern Europe, The British Isles and Western European countries.
Then, the report addresses the concentration and development of big players by benchmarking their tendency to develop at the pan European level, at a chosen sub-region level or by escaping the game with an external international ambition.

Table of contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Methodology
2.1. List of indicators employed
2.2. Definitions
2.3. Sources

3. Analysis by groups of countries
3.1. Distribution of European countries into six groups
3.2. Scandinavia
3.3. Central Europe
3.4. Southeastern Europe
3.5. Southern Europe
3.6. The British Isles
3.7. Benelux and other Western European countries
3.8. France and Germany

4. Comparison of market structures and performances between the different groups of countries
4.1. Fixed broadband growth momentum
4.2. Mobile broadband growth momentum
4.3. Telecom revenue shrinking
4.4. Telecom markets restructured
4.5. Mobile markets on a concentration
4.6. European operators are maintaining investment rates

5. Operators’ growth momentum and economics
5.1. European operators have a solid footprint on the continent
5.2. Some operators opting for a targeted regional footprint
5.3. Others, on the contrary, are setting their sights on more dynamic, extra-European markets

Annexes
Annex 1 : Main recent mergers and acquisitions in Europe
Annex 2 : Abbreviations

List of tables and figures

List of tables and figures

Analysis by groups of countries
Figure 1 : Groups of countries established for analytical purposes
Figure 2 : Average monthly SMS traffic, Scandinavia group
Figure 3 : 3G take-up, Scandinavia group
Figure 4 : 4G take-up, Scandinavia group
Figure 5 : Percentage of fixed Internet subscribers with a connection equal to or above 30 Mbps, Scandinavia group
Figure 6 : Telecom services revenue by business area, Scandinavia group
Figure 7 : Fixed broadband Internet take-up, Central Europe group
Figure 8 : 3G take-up, Central Europe group
Figure 9 : Telecom services revenue by business area, Central Europe group
Figure 10 : Herfindahl-Hirschman index, mobile services market, Central Europe group
Figure 11 : 3G take-up, Southeastern Europe group
Figure 12 : Telecom services revenue by business area, Southeastern Europe group
Figure 13 : Fixed network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), Southeastern Europe group
Figure 14 : Mobile network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), Southeastern Europe group
Figure 15 : 3G take-up, Southern Europe group
Figure 16 : Number of mobile and fixed telephony and fixed Internet subscribers compared to ARPU, Southern Europe group
Figure 17 : Fixed network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), Southern Europe group
Figure 18 : Mobile network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), Southern Europe group
Figure 19 : Fixed broadband take-up (% total population), British Isles group
Figure 20 : 3G and 4G take-up (% of mobile subscribers), British Isles group
Figure 21 : Telecom services revenue by business area, British Isles group
Figure 22 : Fixed network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), British Isles group
Figure 23 : Mobile network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), British Isles group
Figure 24 : 3G take-up (% of mobile subscribers), Benelux+ group
Figure 25 : 4G take-up (% of mobile subscribers), Benelux+ group
Figure 26 : Broadband take-up (% of the total population), Benelux+ group
Figure 27 : Telecom services revenue by business area, Benelux+ group
Figure 28 : Fixed network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), Benelux+ group
Figure 29 : Mobile network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), Benelux+ group
Figure 30 : 3G and 4G take-up (% of mobile subscribers), France and Germany
Figure 31 : Fixed network investment rates (CapEx to revenue), France and Germany
Figure 32 : Telecom services revenue by business area, France and Germany
Figure 33 : Herfindahl-Hirschman index, France and Germany

Comparison of market structures and performances between the different groups of countries
Figure 34 : Average monthly cost of full LLU, Europe
Figure 35 : Fixed SFB coverage rates, all technologies combined, 2015, Europe
Figure 36 : Outgoing SMS traffic Europe
Figure 37 : 3G’s share of mobile subscriptions, Europe
Figure 38 : 3G take-up, Europe
Figure 39 : Retail telecom market revenue, Europe
Figure 40 : Total telecom market investment levels (CapEx to revenue), Europe
Figure 41 : Number of MNO per country, 2010
Figure 42 : Number of MNO per country, 2015
Figure 43 : BT and Vodafone’s CapEx to revenue and EBITDA to revenue ratios

Operators’ growth momentum and economics
Figure 44 : The top European MNOs’ footprint in Europe, 2015
Figure 45 : Total group revenue and percentage earned in Europe
Figure 46 : Total group revenue and percentage earned in Europe

Geographic area

Europe
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom

Players

  • BT
  • Deutsche Telekom
  • KPN
  • Liberty Global
  • Numericable-SFR
  • Orange
  • Swisscom
  • Telecom Italia
  • Telefónica
  • Telenor
  • TeliaSonera
  • Vimpelcom
  • Vodafone

Other details

  • Reference: M16537MRA
  • Delivery: on the DigiWorld Interactive platform
  • Languages available: French, English
  • Tags: 3G, 4G, ARPU, Benchmark, Broadband ARPU, Broadband subscribers, broadband subscriptions, CapEx, CapEx data, Corporate services, Domestic mobile traffic, EBITDA, Economic performance metrics, Fixed ARPU, fixed broadband, Fixed lines customers, Fixed services, Fixed telephony, GDP, HHI, Internet, ISPs, LLU, LTE, M2M, Market structure, MNOs, Mobile, Mobile ARPU, Mobile customers, mobile phone, Mobile services, National, NGA, Operational and traffic data, OTT players, Prepaid customers, Prepaid share, Regulators, revenue data, Roaming tariffs, Rural, share of GDP, SMS, telecom sector

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