2008 Europe - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Benelux

Publication Overview
Executive Summary
Table of Contents

Publication Overview

The Benelux countries are Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, all of which are densely populated and among the leaders in Europe for adopting emerging technologies. The report analyses trends and developments in telecommunications, mobile, Internet, broadband, digital TV and converging media including VoIP, VoD and IPTV developments. Subjects include:

· Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;

· Facts, figures and statistics;

· Industry and regulatory issues;

· Research, mrketing, bnchmarking;

· Major payers, rvenues, sbscribers, pepaid;

· VoIP, IPTV, VoD, digital TV and DTTV;

· Converged media, mobile broadband.

Researcher: Henry Lancaster

Current publication date: October 2008 (7^th Edition)

Next publication date:- October 2009

Executive Summary

BuddeComm’s annual publication, 2008 Europe - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Benelux, profiles three of Europe’s smaller but central telecom markets of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The digital TV sector in Belgium is complicated by the country’s language and demographic landscape, while the mobile sector in Luxembourg is influenced by a large number of workers from neighbouring countries, often based in the numerous European Union institutions hosted in the country.

Despite high broadband penetration rates, the broadband market developed strongly in this region in 2008. The Netherlands retains one of the strongest broadband infrastructures in Europe, and has become a leader in fibre deployment, often stimulated by excellent co-operation with municipalities and regional governments.

This report presents an overview of telecom liberalisation and privatisation in the Benelux countries, the development of broadband product offerings as well as an assessment of the DSL, cable and fibre markets, essential operator statistics in all telecom sectors, and the growing popularity of convergence and triple play services, including mobile broadband.

Key highlights:

· An increasing number of broadband, telephony and TV triple play bundles were made available in 2008. By mid-year about 50% of Dutch households received bundled fixed-line telephony and broadband from the same provider. Consumer prices have tumbled in response to effective cross-platform competition.

· The resilient mobile market has shifted from the GSM to 3G, platforms as consumers take advantage of the excellent network upgrades: HSPA and EDGE is widely available across a region unencumbered by difficult terrain. Emerging business models, coupled with operator readiness to offer flat-data plans, stimulated mobile data use in 2008, although mobile TV remains a niche concept which is unlikely to find popular acceptance until the end of the decade.

· The regional TV market is characterised by concentrated cable networks, which pass around 93% of all TV homes in the Netherlands and 90% in Luxembourg. Consequently, the satellite TV market is small by comparison, and the multichannel environment has affected the development of Digital Terrestrial TV.

· The Netherlands remains a key market for fibre access. By mid-2008 there were more than 100,000 fibre connections, with almost a quarter of a million homes passed by fibre. The incumbent’s national open hybrid FttC/VDSL network is supplemented by FttH in many municipalities, using a business model which has influenced fibre policies elsewhere in Europe.

Broadband penetration rates in Benelux – 2008

Country	Penetration	Household penetration
Belgium	36%	75%
Luxembourg	38%	72%
Netherlands	42%	80%

(Source: BuddeComm)

For those needing high level strategic information and objective analysis on this region, this 140+ page report is essential reading and gives further information on:

· Recent spectrum regulations and the further development of high-speed mobile access and mobile broadband;

· Triple play developments and the convergence of wireless broadband;

· Broadband business models based on municipal co-operation and funding for fibre access.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.

1. Belgium
- 1.1 Key statistics
- 1.2 Telecommunications market
  - 1.2.1 Overview of Belgium’s telecom market
- 1.3 Regulatory environment
  - 1.3.1 History
  - 1.3.2 Regulatory authority
  - 1.3.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Belgium
- 1.4 Fixed network operators in Belgium
  - 1.4.1 Belgacom
  - 1.4.2 COLT Telecom NV
  - 1.4.3 Mobistar
  - 1.4.4 Scarlet (formerly KPN Belgium)
  - 1.4.5 Tele2 Belgium
  - 1.4.6 Telenet
  - 1.4.7 Versatel Telecom
- 1.5 Telecommunications infrastructure
  - 1.5.1 National telecom network
  - 1.5.2 Next Generation Network (NGN)
  - 1.5.3 International infrastructure
- 1.6 Broadband market
  - 1.6.1 Overview
  - 1.6.2 Cable modems
  - 1.6.3 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
  - 1.6.4 Other DSL developments
  - 1.6.5 Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) networks
  - 1.6.6 Broadband Powerline (BPL)
  - 1.6.7 Wireless broadband
  - 1.6.8 Mobile broadband
- 1.7 Convergence
  - 1.7.1 Overview of media convergence
  - 1.7.2 Key general trends
  - 1.7.3 Triple play models
  - 1.7.4 Regulatory issues
  - 1.7.5 Digital TV (DTV)
- 1.8 Mobile communications
  - 1.8.1 Overview of Belgium’s mobile market
  - 1.8.2 Regulatory issues
  - 1.8.3 Mobile technologies
  - 1.8.4 Major mobile operators
  - 1.8.5 Mobile voice services
  - 1.8.6 Mobile data services
  - 1.8.7 Mobile applications
2. Luxembourg
- 2.1 Key statistics
- 2.2 Telecommunications market
  - 2.2.1 Overview of Luxembourg’s telecom market
- 2.3 Regulatory environment
  - 2.3.1 History
  - 2.3.2 Regulatory authorities
  - 2.3.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Luxembourg
- 2.4 Fixed network operators in Luxembourg
  - 2.4.1 P&T Luxembourg
  - 2.4.2 Cegecom
  - 2.4.3 Tele2 Luxembourg
  - 2.4.4 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
- 2.5 Telecommunications infrastructure
  - 2.5.1 National telecom network
- 2.6 Broadband and Internet market
  - 2.6.1 Overview
  - 2.6.2 Broadband forecasts to 2018
  - 2.6.3 Cable modems
  - 2.6.4 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
  - 2.6.5 Fibre
  - 2.6.6 Wireless broadband
  - 2.6.7 Internet via satellite
- 2.7 Convergence
  - 2.7.1 Overview of media convergence
  - 2.7.2 Digital TV (DTV)
- 2.8 Mobile communications
  - 2.8.1 Overview of Luxembourg’s mobile market
  - 2.8.2 Regulatory issues
  - 2.8.3 Mobile technologies
  - 2.8.4 Major mobile operators
  - 2.8.5 Mobile data services
3. Netherlands
- 3.1 Key statistics
- 3.2 Telecommunications market
  - 3.2.1 Overview of the Netherlands’ telecom market
- 3.3 Regulatory environment
  - 3.3.1 History
  - 3.3.2 Regulatory authority
  - 3.3.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in the Netherlands
- 3.4 Fixed network operators in the Netherlands
  - 3.4.1 Overview of operators
- 3.5 Telecommunications infrastructure
  - 3.5.1 National telecom network
  - 3.5.2 International infrastructure
  - 3.5.3 Regulatory issues
  - 3.5.4 Wholesaling
- 3.6 Broadband market
  - 3.6.1 Overview
  - 3.6.2 Cable modems
  - 3.6.3 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
  - 3.6.4 FttH networks
  - 3.6.5 Broadband Powerline (BPL)
  - 3.6.6 Wireless broadband
- 3.7 Convergence
  - 3.7.1 Overview of media convergence
  - 3.7.2 Key general trends
  - 3.7.3 Triple play models
  - 3.7.4 Regulatory issues
  - 3.7.5 Digital TV
- 3.8 Mobile communications
  - 3.8.1 Overview of the Netherlands’ mobile market
  - 3.8.2 Regulatory issues
  - 3.8.3 Mobile technologies
  - 3.8.4 Major mobile operators
  - 3.8.5 Mobile voice services
  - 3.8.6 Mobile data services
4. Glossary of Abbreviations

Table 1 – Country statistics Belgium – 2008
Table 2 – Telecom revenue and investment statistics – 2006
Table 3 – Telephone network statistics – 2007
Table 4 – Internet user statistics – March 2008
Table 5 – Broadband statistics – January 2008
Table 6 – Mobile statistics – March 2008
Table 7 – National telecommunications authority
Table 8 – Telecom market revenue by sector – 2006
Table 9 – Market share of households by sector (historic) – 2002 - 2005
Table 10 – LLU, shared access price - connection, monthly rental – 2004 - 2007
Table 11 – Unbundled loops and access lines – 2004 - 2008
Table 12 – Wholesale access lines – January2008
Table 13 – Analogue access channels - PSTN, ISDN-2, ISDN-30 – 2000 - 2005
Table 14 – BRUO and BROBA monthly access fees – 2007
Table 15 – Fixed numbers ported (regulator data) – 2000 - 2005
Table 16 – Cumulative fixed number portings (EC data) – 2005 - 2007
Table 17 – Carrier preselect numbers and annual change – 2000 - 2005
Table 18 – Belgacom residential access channels and traffic – 2007 - 2008
Table 19 – Belgacom residential access channels and traffic – 2007 - 2008
Table 20 – Belgacom financial data – 2003 - 2008
Table 21 – Belgacom revenue by sector – 2004 - 2006
Table 22 – Belgacom revenue by operating division and annual change – 2007 - 2008
Table 23 – Belgacom fixed-line services revenue – 2006 - 2007
Table 24 – Belgacom revenue share by sector – 2005 - 2007
Table 25 – Belgacom monthly ARPU by sector – 2005 - 2007
Table 26 – Mobistar financial statistics – 2005 - 2007
Table 27 – Telenet financial data – 2005 - 2008
Table 28 – Telenet revenue by sector – 2003 - 2007
Table 29 – Telenet subscribers by sector – 2005 - 2008
Table 30 – Telenet subscriber monthly ARPU – 2005 - 2008
Table 31 – Versatel financial data – 2005 - 2007
Table 32 – Versatel subscriber statistics – 2005 - 2007
Table 33 – Versatel subscribers by type – 2006 - 2007
Table 34 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995; 1997; 1999 - 2007
Table 35 – New broadband lines per year/day – 2004 - 2007
Table 36 – Internet users and penetration – 1995 - 2008
Table 37 – Broadband subscribers and penetration (cable modem & DSL) – 2000 - 2008
Table 38 – Broadband market share by sector (historic) – 2002 - 2005
Table 39 – Broadband subscribers by access type – 2006; 2008
Table 40 – Forecast broadband subscribers – higher market growth scenario – 2007 - 2012; 2018
Table 41 – Forecast broadband subscribers – lower market growth scenario – 2007 - 2012; 2018
Table 42 – Cable modem subscribers – 2000 - 2008
Table 43 – Telenet broadband subscribers – 2002 - 2008
Table 44 – Telenet subscribers by sector – 2008
Table 45 – Telenet financial data – 2005 - 2008
Table 46 – UPC Belgium subscriber data (historic) – 2006
Table 47 – ADSL subscribers – 2000 - 2008
Table 48 – Belgacom ADSL subscribers – 2000 - 2008
Table 49 – Bitstream and wholesale subscribers – 2002 - 2007
Table 50 – WLL broadband subscribers – 2005 - 2008
Table 51 – Telenet subscribers by sector – 2005 - 2008
Table 52 – Belgacom TV data – 2006 - 2008
Table 53 – Cable TV subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 - 2008
Table 54 – Telenet subscriber statistics – 2005 - 2008
Table 55 – Telenet ARPU – 2005 - 2008
Table 56 – UPC Belgium statistics per market segment (historic) – 2005 - 2006
Table 57 – Satellite TV subscribers – 1995 - 2008
Table 58 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – March 2008
Table 59 – Mobile subscribers and teledensity – 1995; 1997; 1999 - 2008
Table 60 – Outgoing minutes – 2002 - 2005
Table 61 – Market share by operator – 2002 - 2008
Table 62 – Market share of net adds by operator – 2005 - 2008
Table 63 – Forecast mobile ARPU - 2005 - 2010; 2013
Table 64 – Roaming tariffs by operator – October 2007
Table 65 – Mobile termination tariffs – 2006 - 2008
Table 66 – Annual mobile numbers ported – 2002 - 2005
Table 67 – Cumulative mobile numbers ported (EC data) – 2005 - 2007
Table 68 – Forecast UMTS subscriber growth – 2006 - 2013
Table 69 – Proximus revenue by sector – 2004 - 2008
Table 70 – Proximus subscribers and prepaid proportion – 2004 - 2008
Table 71 – Proximus ARPU and mobile market share – 2006 - 2007
Table 72 – Proximus monthly ARPU (consumer) and annual change – H1 2008
Table 73 – Mobistar subscribers, prepaid proportion – 2003 - 2008
Table 74 – Mobistar financial data and annualised ARPU – 2005 - 2008
Table 75 – BASE financial data – 2005 - 2008
Table 76 – BASE subscribers and ARPU – 2004 - 2008
Table 77 – BASE prepaid and contract subscribers – 2004 - 2008
Table 78 – BASE net adds: prepaid and contract – 2005 - 2008
Table 79 – Proximus prepaid and contract subscribers – 2004 - 2008
Table 80 – Mobistar subscriber statistics – percentage contract and prepaid – 2003 - 2008
Table 81 – Proximus SMS messages – 2007 - 2008
Table 82 – Premium SMS market overview
Table 83 – Country statistics Luxembourg – 2008
Table 84 – Telephone network statistics – 2007
Table 85 – Internet user statistics – 2007
Table 86 – Broadband statistics – 2007
Table 87 – Mobile statistics – March 2008
Table 88 – National telecommunications authorities
Table 89 – Fixed-services revenue – 2003 - 2007
Table 90 – Broadband and enterprise revenue – 2005 - 2007
Table 91 – Telecom licences in Luxembourg – 2005
Table 92 – Fixed services traffic – 2004 - 2005
Table 93 – Fixed and mobile subscription revenue and annual change – 2005
Table 94 – Interconnection revenue – 2005 - 2007
Table 95 – Unbundled loops and access lines – 2004 - 2007
Table 96 – LLU, shared access price - connection, monthly rental – 2004 - 2007
Table 97 – Fixed numbers ported – 2002 - 2007
Table 98 – P&T Luxembourg revenue – 2003 - 2007
Table 99 – Tele2 Luxembourg subscribers by sector – March 2008
Table 100 – Tele2 Luxembourg revenue by sector – 2007 - 2008
Table 101 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995; 1997; 1999 - 2007
Table 102 – Broadband market revenue – 2003 - 2005
Table 103 – Broadband subscriber growth – 2004 - 2007
Table 104 – Internet users and penetration rate – 1995 - 2008
Table 105 – Total broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2001 - 2008
Table 106 – Broadband subscribers by type – 2006; 2008
Table 107 – Broadband subscribers by provider – 2004 - 2008
Table 108 – New broadband lines per year/day – 2004 - 2007
Table 109 – Forecast broadband subscribers – higher market growth scenario – 2007 - 2012; 2018
Table 110 – Forecast broadband subscribers – lower market growth scenario – 2007 - 2012; 2018
Table 111 – LuxDSL subscribers and annual change – 2004 - 2007
Table 112 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – March 2008
Table 113 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1997; 1999 - 2008
Table 114 – Mobile market share by operator – 2005 - 2008
Table 115 – Mobile services revenue – 2004 - 2007
Table 116 – Cumulative mobile numbers ported – 2005 - 2007
Table 117 – LuxGSM mobile revenue and annual change – 2004 - 2005
Table 118 – VOXmobile subscribers, revenue, ARPU – 2006 - 2008
Table 119 – SMS messages – 2004 - 2007
Table 120 – Country statistics Netherlands – 2008
Table 121 – Telephone network statistics – 2007
Table 122 – Internet user statistics – March 2008
Table 123 – Broadband statistics – January 2008
Table 124 – Mobile statistics – June 2008
Table 125 – National telecommunications authorities
Table 126 – Unbundled loops and access lines – 2004 - 2007
Table 127 – LLU, shared access price - connection, monthly rental – 2004 - 2007
Table 128 – Cumulative mobile numbers ported - 2002 - 2007
Table 129 – Fixed network channels by type – 2005 - 2007
Table 130 - Households with fixed telephony, by operator (%) – 2004 - 2007
Table 131 - Households with fixed telephony, by technology – 2003 - 2005
Table 132 – KPN net line loss – 2005 - 2008
Table 133 – KPN network channels, PSTN, ISDN, VoIP - consumer voice – 2005 - 2008
Table 134 – KPN consumer fixed-line revenue and annual change – 2006 - 2007
Table 135 – KPN consumer market share – 2007 - 2008
Table 136 – KPN subscribers by sector – 2005 - 2008
Table 137 – Traffic in minutes by sector and annual change – 2006 - 2007
Table 138 – KPN voice consumer market share – 2004 - 2007
Table 139 – KPN financial data – 2004 - 2008
Table 140 – KPN financial data by sector (Netherlands) – 2005 - 2008
Table 141 – UPC Nederland statistics – 2004 - 2008
Table 142 – UPC Netherlands revenue and annual change – 2005 - 2007
Table 143 – Tele2 Netherlands subscribers by type – 2007 - 2008
Table 144 – Tele2 Netherlands revenue by service type – 2007 - 2008
Table 145 – Ziggo financial data – 2006 - 2007
Table 146 – Ziggo operating and subscriber data – 2006 - 2007
Table 147 – Ziggo market share in technology service area – 2006 - 2007
Table 148 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995; 1997; 1999 - 2007
Table 149 – KPN wholesale operating statistics – 2007 - 2008
Table 150 – New broadband lines per year/day – 2004 - 2007
Table 151 – Broadband household and IP-VPN penetration – 2002 - 2008
Table 152 – Main ISPs, and subscriber base – 2007 - 2008
Table 153 – Broadband market share by provider – September 2007
Table 154 – Broadband penetration in Internet households – 2004 - 2008
Table 155 – Total broadband subscribers (cable modem, xDSL, fibre) – 1999 - 2008
Table 156 – Broadband penetration rate – 1999 - 2007
Table 157 – Broadband penetration by technology – 2007
Table 158 – Narrowband traffic in minutes – 2006 - 2007
Table 159 – Forecast broadband subscribers – higher market growth scenario – 2007 - 2012; 2018
Table 160 – Forecast broadband subscribers – lower market growth scenario – 2007 - 2012; 2018
Table 161 – Cable modem subscribers – 2000 - 2008
Table 162 – Ziggo financial data – 2006 - 2007
Table 163 – Ziggo operating and subscriber data – 2006 - 2007
Table 164 – UPC Nederland subscribers – 2005 - 2008
Table 165 – KPN retail broadband subscribers by ISP – 2007 - 2008
Table 166 – DSL market share of broadband subscribers – 2004 - 2007
Table 167 – ADSL subscribers – 2000 - 2008
Table 168 – KPN consumer DSL subscribers – 2005 - 2008
Table 169 – Tele2 DSL subscribers – 2006 - 2008
Table 170 – Analogue/digital leased line use (historic) – 2003 - 2005
Table 171 – KPN broadband accesses – 2005 - 2008
Table 172 – FttH connections and subscribers – 2006 - 2008
Table 173 – Planned FttH connections – 2007 - 2011
Table 174 – WiFi hotspots by major players – May 2008
Table 175 – Proportion of households with products from a single provider – 2004 - 2006
Table 176 – Number and type of multiplay bundles – 2006 - 2007
Table 177 – TV statistics per market segment – 2005 - 2007
Table 178 – TV statistics per market segment – 2006 - 2007
Table 179 – Digital TV distribution infrastructure market share – 2003 - 2007
Table 180 – Digitenne TV subscribers – 2006 - 2008
Table 181 – VoIP subscribers and quarterly change – 2005 - 2008
Table 182 – VoIP market share by provider – 2006 - 2007
Table 183 – KPN VoIP subscribers – 2005 - 2008
Table 184 – Cable TV operators’ estimated market shares – 2003; 2005 - 2006
Table 185 – UPC Nederland statistics per market segment – 2004 - 2007
Table 186 – UPC Nederland revenue – 2006 - 2007
Table 187 – Satellite TV subscribers and household penetration – 2002 - 2007
Table 188 – Mobile services market revenue and annual change – 2004 - 2008
Table 189 – Contract ARPU – 2005 - 2007
Table 190 – Operator share of mobile market revenue – 2007 - 2008
Table 191 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – March 2008
Table 192 – Total mobile subscribers and penetration rate (regulator data) – 1997; 1999 - 2008
Table 193 – Subscribers and market share by operator (historic) – 2003 - 2006
Table 194 – Market share of subscribers by operator – 2006 - 2008
Table 195 – Market share of net adds by operator – 2007
Table 196 – Forecast mobile ARPU - 2005 - 2010; 2013
Table 197 – 3G licence awards (spectrum, spectrum fees, admin fees) - July 2000
Table 198 – Mobile termination tariffs – 2006 - 2008
Table 199 – Cumulative mobile numbers ported - 2001 - 2007
Table 200 – Forecast UMTS subscriber growth and penetration – 2006 - 2013
Table 201 – KPN mobile subscribers by country – 1998 - 2008
Table 202 – KPN Mobile consumer retail subscribers – 2006 - 2008
Table 203 – KPN mobile service revenue by operator and annual change – 2006 - 2008
Table 204 – KPN mobile market share by revenue – 2004 - 2008
Table 205 – KPN mobile market share by subscribers – 2004 - 2008
Table 206 – KPN mobile monthly ARPU – 2006 - 2008
Table 207 – Vodafone Netherlands financial data – 2007 - 2008
Table 208 – Vodafone Netherlands operating statistics – 2004 - 2008
Table 209 – T-Mobile (Netherlands) operating statistics – 2006 - 2008
Table 210 – MVNO subscribers – 2005 - 2007
Table 211 – Prepaid and contract subscribers by market share – 2004 - 2007
Table 212 – KPN Mobile retail prepaid subscribers – 2006 - 2008
Table 213 – KPN Mobile net adds per quarter: prepaid/contract – 2005 - 2008
Table 214 – Premium SMS market feature overview by operator – 2008
Table 215 – KPN Mobile non-voice proportion of ARPU – 2004 - 2008
Table 216 – KPN i-mode subscribers (historic) - 2002 - 2005