2019 Australia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 27 Apr 2020 Update History

Report Status: Archived

Report Pages: 305

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Publication Overview

This report covers extensive statistics and forecasts for the Australian telecoms industry over a wide range of topics including:

Overall Telecoms Industry segmented by major provider (including second tier markets) and by telecommunications service.
Mobile and Mobile Broadband segment.
Smartphones, Tablets and Handset Market.
Fixed Broadband Market: NBN, FTTN, VDSL, FTTP, FTTB and HFC Networks.
Fixed Wireless and Satellite Networks.
Pay TV and Free-to-Air TV.
Video Streaming.
Smart cities.
IoT.

Researchers:- Phil Harpur
Current publication date:- November 2019 (32nd Edition)

Executive Summary

Australia’s NBN makes slow progress

While fixed-line telephony traffic and revenue are declining, the mobile broadband market is growing steadily. Fixed-line broadband on the copper network is also declining as fibre and fixed-wireless broadband services become more widely available, through the NBN’s multi-technology architecture, with its emphasis on VDSL with Fibre-to-the Node (FttN). In time, much of the voice traffic will be data packet via technologies such as Voice over Long-term Evolution (VoLTE).

Penetration in the fixed line market in Australia has been declining at a significant and increasing rate over the past five years. A major reason for this is due to the dominance of the mobile segment and the growth of mobile broadband segment. The market is predicted to further decline over the next five years to 2024 as both mobile and mobile broadband penetration continue to increase.

The second-tier market continues to grow strongly although it has eased off to some degree during 2019. Developments in this market have been dominated by industry consolidation a process that is set to continue over coming years, despite the temporary setback after the failed Vodafone and TPG merger.

Within the Australian fixed broadband market, there is a dynamic shift among customers to fibre networks, as this infrastructure is being built out by nbn (NBN Co), the company responsible for the national broadband deployment. Australia’s broadband sector is making improved progress in its migration to a multi-technology NBN.

Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) is delivered via a multi-technology mix (MTM) to homes and businesses including: fibre to the premises (FTTP), fibre to the building (FTTB), fibre to the node (FTTN), Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), fixed wireless and satellite.

The annual growth rate in the overall number of broadband subscribers is expected to continue to slow into 2020, with most growth coming from the mobile wireless and fibre broadband markets, due to increased uptake by the nbn is these two segments.

The DSL sector is expected to shrink as customers are migrated to the NBN in areas where services become available, while subscribers on HFC infrastructure will continue to be provided by existing cable within the NBN’s multi-technology mix. Commercial cable services based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard are anticipated in 2020.

The fixed-line broadband market continues to grow steadily as the nbn rollout gains momentum, although overall penetration is predicted to grow slowly over the next five years to 2024.

The Australian mobile market is dominated by the three major mobile network operators Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone (VHA). These have been able to offer LTE services on a wholesale basis thus encouraging growth in the LTE sector.

There is also a significant number of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) in Australia: These companies purchase wholesale mobile services from the MNOs, provide services under their own brand and typically provide their own billing and customer care. Key MVNOs in Australia include Amaysim, Kogan Mobile, Aldi Mobile, Ovo Mobile, Boost Mobile, Lebara Mobile and Virgin Mobile.

Australia’s mobile network operators continued to work towards the launch of 5G, laying foundations for the next-generation network and continued to develop and enhance their existing 4G networks on the upgrade pathway to 5G.

By 2019 all three MNOs now provide comprehensive population coverage with their LTE networks and were well on the way to launching 5G services.

Streaming is closing in on broadcast TV. There is a rapid increase in the rate of adoption of SVOD is occurring where high-quality broadband is already available. The growth in the uptake of catch up and live traditional TV streaming services had slowed down, with SVOD penetration on track to overtake it. The NBN is accelerating this trend as the mass deployment of high-quality broadband takes place and will significantly decrease cost of delivery of SVOD. Netflix has emerged as the SVOD dominant operator.

FOXTEL during the last few years has struggled to increase pay TV penetration in Australia. Viewing habits have also been affected by the advent of catch-up TV services, which are available from the main broadcasters. In addition, subscription video services from VOD operators such as Stan and Netflix are further eroding live TV viewing as subscribers choose instead to watch programs at a time of their choosing.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key Developments

The mobile broadband market is predicted to grow steadily over the next five years to 2024.
Fixed-line DSL broadband is declining as fibre and fixed-wireless broadband services become more widely available.
The second-tier market continues to grow strongly although it has eased off to some degree during 2019.
Consolidation within the fixed broadband market has occurred over the past few years.
Australia's mobile network operators continue to work towards the launch of 5G.
Australia is predicted to be one of the top four of markets that will drive the growth of 5G in Asia.
The Australian IoT industry reached nearly $20 billion by 2020.
The driven by rising demand for smart devices, increasing demand for analytics, cloud platform adoption and growth of wireless networking technologies.
Foxtel will continue to lose ground to streaming media providers such as Netflix and Stan.
Assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Vodafone, 3, VHA, Optus, Telstra, nbn (NBN Co), iiNet, TPG, TransACT, M2, iiNet, Optus, Primus, Austar; Ericsson; Visionstream; Optus, iiNet, AUSTAR, Foxtel, Neighbourhood Cable, nbn (NBN Co), LBNCo, OPENetworks, OptiComm, RedTrain, Pivit, Fibercorp, Huawei, Telstra, Vividwireless, Ericsson, EnergyAustralia, SingTel, Unwired, Kogan Mobile, Apple, Nokia, Google, Ericsson, Samsung,

Sebastein de Rosbo

Telecoms industry

Total Telco Market by Major Service

Market Overview and Analysis

Total Telco Market by Major Provider

Market Overview and Analysis

2nd-Tier Telcos

Market Overview and Analysis

Fixed Line Statistics

Broadband market

Market analysis
Fixed broadband – subscriber statistics and forecasts

Total market statistics by provider
Market share statistics by platform
Fixed broadband subscriber forecast
Other broadband statistics

National Broadband Network (NBN)

Overview and statistics
Fixed wireless networks
The NBN satellite network

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP)

Statistics
Major players

Fibre-to-the-Basement (FTTB)
Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN)
Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC)
G.Fast and XG.Fast
HFC (Cable) Networks
DSL
WiFi market
Fixed broadband service providers

Introduction
Telstra
Optus
TPG Telecom Limited
Vocus
Macquarie Telecom
Unity Group Limited (UWL)

Mobile communications

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

Total mobile subscribers and market forecast
Mobile operators – subscriber market shares and growth
Prepaid and postpaid subscribers by operator
Mobile services revenues, forecast and market analysis
Operator revenue statistics overview
Average revenue per user (ARPU)
Mobile broadband statistics and forecast

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G services
2G services
VoLTE
Small cell technology
NB-IoT

Mobile spectrum overview

Spectrum ownership and licences
Fifteen-year spectrum licence pathway
Additional spectrum 5G

Mobile spectrum auctions

800MHz and 1.8GHz auctions
700MHz and 2.5GHz auction results Auctions
4G Auctions – 2016
Residual spectrum auction – 2017
700 MHz spectrum auction 2017
5G Spectrum Auction

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)

Introduction
Telstra
Optus
Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA)

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Market definition
Market overview
Market statistics
Historical overview
Amaysim
Kogan Mobile
Aldi Mobile
Ovo Mobile
Lebara Mobile
Boost Mobile
TravelSIM
Virgin Mobile
Woolworths Mobile
MeU Mobile

Mobile handsets

Smartphone usage statistics
Handset supplier market shares
Wearables and smartwatches

Digital economy

Internet of Things (IoT)

Global trends
Market statistics and surveys

Smart city projects

Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) for water utilities.
Thinxtra
M4 Smart Motorway project in NSW
Adelaide IoT sensor project
LoRaWAN network in Newcastle
Small Satellite Project
IoT network – Tasmania
Smart Cities – Tasmania
Digital agriculture projects – Victoria
Logistics
South East Water – Victoria
Sydney Harbour Bridge – M2M monitoring
Sydney Water
RFID Materials management on massive scale
Vehicle tracking
UniSA satellite system
Smart water
Telstra

E-government

Digital media

Video-On-Demand (VOD) Market

Market analysis
Definitions
Impact of SVOD on traditional TV
Impact of SVOD on the Pay TV Market
VOD subscribers and usage statistics
Inhibitors to SVOD market growth
Copyright and content issues
Major VOD providers
Telstra TV
Vodafone
FetchTV
Hayu
Hulu

Pay TV market

Subscriber statistics
Major players

Free-to-Air Market

Trends and analysis
Impact of SVOD on traditional TV
Major FTA providers

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations

List of Tables

Table 1 – Total telecoms market, retail revenue and forecast – 2007 – 2023
Table 2 – Total telecoms market – retail revenue by service – 2007 – 2020
Table 3 –Total telecoms market – annual growth by service – 2008 – 2020
Table 4 –Total telecoms market – market share by service – 2007 – 2020
Table 5 – Total Telecoms Revenue by Major Provider / Category – 2014 – 2020
Table 6 – Total Telecoms Revenue Annual Growth by Major Provider / Category – 2015 – 2020
Table 7 – Total Telecoms Revenue Market Share by Major Provider / Category – 2014 – 2020
Table 8 –Second-tier telcos – total revenue and annual change – 2010 – 2020
Table 9 –Second-tier telcos – revenue ($million) by major provider – 2014 – 2019
Table 10 –Second-tier telcos – Revenue and Market Share by major provider – 2019
Table 11– Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration – 2009 – 2024
Table 12 – Fixed broadband retail subscribers (thousands) by major provider – 2010 – 2019
Table 13 – Fixed broadband retail subscriber annual growth by major provider – 2011 – 2019
Table 14 – Fixed broadband retail subscribers market share by major provider – 2014 – 2019
Table 15 – Telstra broadband subscribers by retail / wholesale – 2007 – 2018
Table 16 – Total broadband subscribers by access type – 2011 – 2018
Table 17 – Total broadband subscribers by access type, annual growth – 2012 – 2018
Table 18 – Total broadband subscribers by access type, market share – 2011 – 2018
Table 19 – Fixed broadband subscribers – DSL, Cable, Fibre – 2011 – 2018
Table 20 – Fixed broadband subscribers (with forecast) – 2009 – 2024
Table 21 – Internet subscribers by download speed – 2016 – 2018
Table 22 – Volume of data downloaded (terrabytes) by access connection - 2013 – 2018
Table 23 – NBN premises activated, ready for service (thousands) – 2011 – 2019
Table 24 – NBN revenue ($million) statistics – 2013 – 2019
Table 25 – NBN ARPU – 2013 – 2019
Table 26 – NBN capital expenditure – 2013 – 2019
Table 27 – Cumulative end user subscriptions by technology – 2013 – 2019 (FY)
Table 28 – Market share – Subscriptions – 2013 – 2019 (FY)
Table 29 – FTTP - Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 30 – FTTB - Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 31 – FTTN- Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 32 – FTTC- Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 33 – HFC - Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 34 – Wireless - Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 35 – Satellite - Market share - by Provider – 2019
Table 36 – FTTP subscriber statistics – 2013 – 2019
Table 37 –FttN expenditure – 2014 – 2019
Table 38 – FttC expenditure – 2016 – 2019
Table 39 – FttC subscribers – 2018 – 2019
Table 40 – HFC Roll out plan 2016 – 2018
Table 41 – Cable broadband subscribers by major operator and annual change – 2008 – 2018
Table 42 – DSL broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 43 – Optus – broadband statistics - 2015 – 2019
Table 44 – iiNet’s acquisitions – 2003 – 2014
Table 45 – TPG Revenue, EBITDA and NPAT– 2008– 2019
Table 46 – TPG – revenue ($ million) breakdown by division – 2009 – 2019
Table 47 – TPG – Broadband ARPU ($/month) – 2016 – 2019
Table 48 – TPG – Consumer broadband subscribers (thousands) by Product – 2017 – 2019
Table 49 – TPG – Group mobile subscribers (thousands) by Division– 2014 – 2019
Table 50 – Vocus - key financial parameters – 2012- 2019
Table 51 – Vocus Australia - consumer broadband subscribers (thousands) – 2018 – 2019
Table 52 – M2’s acquisitions
Table 53 – Macquarie key financial indicators – 2008 – 2019
Table 54 – Mobile subscribers, penetration and annual change (with forecast) – 2009 – 2024
Table 55 – Historic - Mobile subscribers, penetration and annual change (with forecast) – 2000 – 2010
Table 56 – Mobile subscribers (millions) by MNO (with forecast) – 2009 – 2020
Table 57 – Annual change of mobile subscribers by MNO – 2010 – 2020
Table 58 – Market share of mobile subscribers by MNO (with forecast) – 2010 – 2020
Table 59 – MNO prepaid subscribers (millions) by operator – 2009 – 2020
Table 60 – MNO market share of prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2020
Table 61 – MNO postpaid subscribers (millions) by operator – 2009 – 2019
Table 62 – MNO market share of postpaid subscribers – 2009 – 2020
Table 63 – MNO total market of prepaid and postpaid subscribers (millions) – 2009 – 2019
Table 64 – MNO total market proportion of prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 65 – Prepaid as % of total subscribers by operator - 2009 – 2019
Table 66 – Postpaid as % of total subscribers by operator - 2009 – 2019
Table 67 – Total mobile services market revenue and annual change (with forecast) – 2005 – 2020
Table 68 – Mobile market revenue per major operator – 2009 – 2019
Table 69 – Mobile market revenue market share per major operator – 2009 – 2019
Table 70 – Annual change of mobile market revenue per major operator – 2010 – 2019
Table 71 – Mobile market share in revenue per major operator – 2000 – 2019
Table 72 – Blended monthly ARPU by MNO – 2000 – 2017
Table 73 – Telstra mobile ARPU - prepaid, postpaid, mobile broadband – 2008 – 2019
Table 74 – Optus mobile subscriber - monthly ARPU – 2009 – 2019
Table 75 – VHA monthly ARPU – 2015 – 2019
Table 76 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration (with forecast) – 2009 – 2024
Table 77 – Wireless broadband subscribers by access type – 2009 – 2018
Table 78 – Mobile broadband subscribers by mobile network operator – 2007 – 2018
Table 79 – Estimated mobile broadband data downloaded in Petabytes – 2009 – 2018
Exhibit 6 – Expiring spectrum allocation timetable 2015 - 2028
Table 80 – Spectrum charges for spectrum bandwidth licenses
Table 81 – 1.8GHz spectrum auction results – 2016
Table 82 – 700MHz and 2.5GHz auction results
Table 83 - 1800MHz auction results – February 2016
Table 84 – Telstra Group - top line Annual financial results - 2009 – 2019
Table 85 – Telstra mobile prepaid and postpaid revenue – 2008 – 2018
Table 86 – Telstra mobile services revenue – 2009 – 2019
Table 87 – Telstra mobile ARPU - prepaid, postpaid, mobile broadband – 2008 – 2019
Table 88 – Telstra - Mobile subscribers (millions) by prepaid, postpaid, wholesale – 2008 – 2019
Table 89 – Optus mobile revenue – 2009 – 2019
Table 90 – Optus - mobile subscribers and annual change – 2008 – 2019
Table 91 – Optus -mobile pre/postpaid and mobile broadband customers (thousands) – 2008 – 2019
Table 92 – Optus mobile subscriber - monthly ARPU – 2009 – 2019
Table 93 – Vodafone Australia revenue – 2009 – 2019
Table 94 – VHA monthly ARPU – 2015 – 2019
Table 95 – Vodafone Australia (Group) – subscribers (millions) by type – 2009 – 2019
Table 96 – Historic - Retail mobile subscribers share by MNO and MVNO – 2016 – 2017
Table 97 – Historic - Retail mobile subscribers share by MNO and MVNO – 2013 – 2015
Table 98 – Amaysim Revenue and Ebitda – 2016 – 2019
Table 99 – Amaysim subscribers – 2014 – 2019
Table 100 – Internet connections via mobile handsets – 2011 – 2018
Table 101 – Australian handset platform market share – 2018
Table 102 – SVOD subscribers by category – 2017 - 2019
Table 103 – Historic - Total number of Fetch TV subscribers 2012 – 2016
Table 104 – Pay TV subscribers, Foxtel, others and total – 2008 – 2018
Table 105 – Historic - Pay TV revenue by major operator – 1997 – 2004
Table 106 – Historic - Pay TV revenue by major operator – 2005 – 2017
Table 107 – Total FOXTEL and wholesale subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 108 – Historic - Total telecoms market – retail revenue by service – 2001 – 2015
Table 109 – Historic - Total telecoms revenues by smaller operators, and total – 2005 – 2013
Table 110 – Historic - Total telecoms revenues by major providers – 2000 – 2013
Table 111 – Historic - Second-tier telcos – revenue by provider – 2010 – 2014
Table 112 – Historic - Second-tier telcos – revenue by provider (historic) – 2004 – 2007
Table 113 – Historic - Total business and residential broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2014
Table 114 – Historic - TPG – consumer broadband subscribers (thousands) by Product – 2014 – 2017
Table 115 – Historic - Annual change of mobile subscribers by carrier – 1995; 1997; 2000 – 2009
Table 116 – Historic - Retail mobile subscriber market share by MNO and MVNO – 2015 – 2016
Table 117 – Historic - Share of prepaid subscribers by MNO and MVNO – 2014 – 2015
Table 118 – Historic - Share of postpaid subscribers by MNO and MVNO – 2014 – 2015
Table 119 – Historic - Total mobile services market revenue and annual change – 1993 – 2009
Table 120 – Historic - HTA key metrics - 2009 – 2015
Table 121 – Historic - Monthly ARPU and by segment – 2009 – 2012
Table 122 – Historic - Vodafone Australia revenue – 1996; 1998 – 2008
Table 123 – Historic - VHA MVNO customers – 2014 – 2016

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Total telecoms market – retail revenue ($ million) and forecast – 2007 – 2023
Chart 2 – Total telecoms market – retail revenue ($ million) by service– 2007 – 2020
Chart 3 – Total telecoms market – market share by service – 2007 – 2020
Chart 4 – Total Telecoms Revenue ($ billion) by Major Provider / Category – 2014 – 2020
Chart 5 – Total Telecoms Revenue Market Share by Major Provider / Category – 2014 – 2020
Chart 6 – Second-tier telcos – total revenue ($ million) and annual change – 2010 – 2020
Chart 7– Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration – 2009 – 2024
Chart 8 – Fixed broadband subscribers –DSL, Cable, Fibre – 2011 – 2018
Chart 9 – Fixed broadband subscribers (with forecast) - 2009 – 2024
Chart 10 – Mobile subscribers and penetration (with forecast) – 2009 – 2024
Chart 11 – Market share of mobile subscribers by MNO (with forecast) – 2009 – 2020
Chart 12 – MNO market share of prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Chart 13 – MNO market share of postpaid subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 14 – Total mobile services market revenue and annual change (with forecast) – 2010 – 2020
Chart 15 – Mobile market revenue market share per major operator – 2009 – 2019
Chart 16 – Overview of mobile revenue share per major operator – 2009 – 2019
Chart 17 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration (with forecast) – 2009 – 2024

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – The initial analogue operators – brief historic background
Exhibit 2 – Mobile spectrum by operator in capital city and regional area
Exhibit 3 – GSM services by operator
Exhibit 4 – WCDMA services by operator
Exhibit 5 – Ownership of selected frequencies for 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz services
Exhibit 7 – MVNO models
Exhibit 8 – Australian MVNOs mobile carriers

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2019 Australia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Australia’s NBN makes slow progress

Key Developments

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Telecoms industry

Broadband market

Mobile communications

Digital economy

Digital media

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views