2014 Italy - Telecoms, IP Networks, Digital Media and Forecasts

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Last updated: 10 Sep 2014 Update History

Report Status: Archived

Report Pages: 116

Publication Overview

This report analyses the key aspects of the Italian telecom market, providing the latest data and statistics on the country and the fixed network services sector. It also reviews the key regulatory issues including number portability and local loop unbundling. The report also provides statistics on the wireless and fixed-line broadband market, including the burgeoning fibre sector. On the mobile market it provides statistics, an assessment of key regulatory issues and of mobile data services, and also profiles the major providers and the likely impact of emerging technologies on their strategies for coming years.

Researcher:- Henry Lancaster
Current publication date:- September 2014 (12th Edition)

Executive Summary

Municipal fibre deployments help push up fibre penetration

Italy’s large telecom market boasts one of the highest rates for mobile penetration in Europe, while the fibre-optic sector has seen significant development in recent years, both in operator investment and in regulatory measures to encourage network sharing. Broadband uptake is growing steadily as a result of fibre and ADSL2+ infrastructure upgrades, though the country still lags behind benchmark countries for average broadband access speeds. The fixed-line sector continues to dwindle as consumers adopt mobile-only solutions and VoIP.

The broadband market has a competitive the DSL sector. In the absence of effective cross-platform competition from cable networks, services based on upgraded DSL networks have benefited from the market entry of new players such as Vodafone. Several operators have invested in ADSL2+ and VDSL infrastructure, propelling the market for high-bandwidth bundled services. Although the DSL sector has benefited from investment and technology upgrades, the need to deliver faster services will encourage a deeper emphasis on fibre deployments. Here, operator efforts have been supplemented by investment from regional governments. Regulatory measures have also been taken to ease access to NGNs.

Italy’s market for bundled services and converging media applications has been strengthened by the excellent DSL broadband network and the expanding fibre footprint. The digital TV market has progressed well, with a number of regions having switched to digital terrestrial TV and with broadcasters having set up a second DTH satellite platform to compete with SKY Italia. Satellite TV remains the main pay TV platform in the absence of cable TV, while IPTV has an increasing presence strengthened by upgraded fixed-line delivery networks. This report analyses Italy’s market for bundled services and digital media, providing an overview of the country’s digital TV markets and an assessment of regulatory and market measures following analogue switchover.

Italy’s vibrant mobile market is dominated by three operators, TIM, Vodafone Italia and Wind, while the fourth player 3 Italia has steadily made progress with customer growth. All four providers now operate LTE networks, and significant investments in network upgrades have provided rich opportunities for mobile data use among consumers.

Key developments:

Regulator addresses fibre network open access; proposed FiberCo to coordinate fibre deployments to 20 million people in 15 cities by 2015; Telecom Italia commits to deliver FttP/FttB to an additional 138 cities by 2018, suspends decision to spin off access network into separate company; Fastweb, Wind and Vodafone continue with €2.5 billion NGN project; Milan’s Metroweb sold to F2i and IMI Investimenti; TI sets up JV to build open access fibre network covering 80% of buildings in Milan; Sky Italia sold to Twentieth Century Fox; Fastweb buys 11% of Metroweb and begins deploying vectoring DSL; Metroweb proposes €4,5 billion FttP network covering 30 cities; Vodafone Group secures 100% of Vodafone Italy; government aims to quadruple tax on smartphones; Vodafone to extend LTE coverage to 90% of the population by the end of 2016; regulator extends 3G licences to 2029 and GSM licences to 2027; TIM closes mobile TV service; spectrum auction opens up LTE sector and delivers €3.945 billion for the government; MVNO customer base exceeds four million; regulator’s 2013 market report and q1 2014 market update; telcos’ operating and financial data to Q2 2014; market developments into 2014

Companies and subsidiaries mentioned in this report include:

Telecom Italia, Fastweb, Wind, BT Italia, Tiscali, Metroweb, Vodafone Italia, Tiscali, Sky Italia, TivùSat, 3 Italia

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

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