Latvia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 156

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Latvia’s telecom regulator completes new spectrum auctions

Latvia’s telecom market continues to benefit from investment and from regulatory measures aimed at developing 5G and fibre-based infrastructure. Although the mobile market is dominated by three operators there is effective competition between them, with the smallest among them having almost a quarter of the market by subscribers.

These multi-service operators have focussed investment on fibre networks and on expanding the reach of 5G. Mobile network capacity has been improved since 2022 following the auction of spectrum in the 700MHz and 1.5GHz bands. In addition, operators have entered into agreements with neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania to coordinate the use of spectrum for 5G in border areas, thus improving coverage to end-users without interference.

In the fixed-line broadband sector, the country is ranked among the highest in Europe for fibre coverage and take-up, being among the seven countries in the region with a fibre penetration rate about 50%. It has the second highest rural FttP coverage after Denmark. With this infrastructure in place, the country has also developed a sophisticated digital economy, with e-commerce and e-government services widely available.

Key Developments:

Telia Group sells its local unit Telia Latvia to Tet for €10.75 million.
Tet launches a 10Gb/s FttP service to areas of Riga.
Regulator raises €13.27 million from auction of additional spectrum in the 700MHz band.
Telecom regulator allows Bité Latvia and Unistars to make joint use of spectrum in the 1800MHz and 3600MHz bands for 5G.
Tele2 Latvia launches a VoLTE service.
Regulator permits Bité and Tele2 Latvia to share spectrum assets.
Report update includes the regulator's market data updates for 2021, telcos' operating and financial data to Q4 2022, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Tet (Lattelecom), Baltcom TV, Izzi, Viasat, Latvia Mobilais Telefons, Bité Latvia, Telekom Baltija, ZetCom, Tele2 Latvia, Latvenergo.

Key statistics
Regional Europe Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Market liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnect
Access
Carrier selection (CS) and Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
Number Portability (NP)
European Electronic Communications Code

Mobile network developments

CDMA licence awarded
900MHz spectrum
2.3GHz spectrum
2.6GHz spectrum
700MHz spectrum
3G licences
3.5GHz
1.5GHz
EU roaming tariffs
Mobile Termination Rate (MTR)
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Network sharing

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Mobile data

SMS and MMS

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT)
Tele2 Latvia
Telekom Baltija/Triatel
Bité Latvia

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Fixed-line broadband market

Market analysis and statistical overview
Government support
Broadband statistics
Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

ADSL2+/VDSL

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed-line broadband services

Fixed wireless (WiMAX, WiBro, Wi-Fi)
EV-DO

Digital economy

E-government
E-education

Fixed network operators

Tet
Norby Telecom

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure
Telecoms and IT

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Latvia – 2023 (e)
Table 2 – Development of Latvia’s telecom market revenue (€) – 2009 – 2021
Table 3 – Development of total telecom market revenue by sector (€ million) – 2018 – 2021
Table 4 – Development of retail revenue by sector (€ million) – 2018 – 2021
Table 5 – Change in the number of retail subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2018 – 2021
Table 6 – Change in the number of fixed number portings – 2013 – 2019
Table 7 – 2.6GHz spectrum auction results – January 2012
Table 8 – 700MHz spectrum auction results – 2013
Table 9 – 700MHz spectrum auction results – 2021
Table 10 – 1500MHz spectrum auction results – 2022
Table 11 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2007 – 2019
Table 12 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 13 – Change in mobile voice traffic by type (million minutes)– 2018 – 2021
Table 14 – Increase in the number of M2M connections – 2018 – 2021
Table 15 – Increase in the number of LMT’s M2M connections – 2014 – 2022
Table 16 – Increase in mobile data traffic – 2018 – 2021
Table 17 – Fall in SMS traffic – 2013 – 2021
Table 18– Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 19 – Change in the number of mobile broadband connections by data rate – 2018 – 2021
Table 20 – Change in the average 3G mobile data speed (Mb/s) by operator – 2015 – 2016; 2018
Table 21 – Change in the average LTE download speed by MNO (Mb/s) – 2015 – 2019
Table 22 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2018 – 2021
Table 23 – Growth in the number of LMT’s mobile subscribers (thousand) – 2011 – 2022
Table 24 – Change in the number and proportion of LMT’s prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2022
Table 25 – Development of LMT’s mobile ARPU (€ per month) – 2009 – 2022
Table 26 – Development of LMT’s financial data (SEK million) – 2011 – 2022
Table 27 – Growth in LMT’s mobile services revenue – 2009 – 2022
Table 28 – Growth in LMT’s mobile services revenue by quarter – 2012 – 2022
Table 29 – Development of Tele2 Latvia’s financial data (SEK million) – 2011 – 2022
Table 30 – Change in the number of Tele2 Latvia’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Table 31 – Change in the number of Bité Latvia’s mobile subscribers – 2019 – 2022
Table 33 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 32 – Fixed broadband connections by data rate – 2018 – 2021
Table 33 – Decline in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 34 – Decline in the number of DSL subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 35 – Increase in the number of VDSL subscribers – 2018 – 2021
Table 36 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 37 – Decline in the number of fixed wireless broadband subscribers – 2013 – 2021
Table 38 – Development of Lattelecom Group’s financial data (€ million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 39 – Development of Lattelecom Group’s financial data (SEK million) – 2017 – 2022
Table 40 – Change in fixed voice traffic by type (million minutes)– 2018 – 2021
Table 41 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 42 – Change in fixed voice traffic by type (million minutes)– 2018 – 2021
Table 43 – Decline in fixed voice revenue (€ million) – 2018 – 2021
Table 44 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2013 – 2018
Table 45 – Increase in internet bandwidth per subscriber – 2008 – 2017
Table 46 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 1999 - 2010
Table 47– Historic - Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2005 – 2010
Table 48 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2001 – 2010
Table 49 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1999 – 2010
Table 50 – Historic - Fixed-line market revenue (LVL million) – 2005 – 2011
Table 51 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2001 – 2010
Table 52 – Historic – Growth in the number of LMT’s mobile subscribers – 2006 – 2010
Table 53 – Historic - Development of Lattelecom Group’s financial data (€ million) – 2004 – 2010
Table 54 – Historic – Change in Tele2 Latvia’s financial data (SEK million) – 2008 – 2010
Table 55 – Historic – Decline in the number of Tele2 Latvia’s mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2010
Table 56 – Historic – Decline in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 57 – Historic – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 58 – Historic – Development of LMT’s financial data (SEK million) – 2008 – 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Europe – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of Latvia’s telecom market revenue (€) – 2009 – 2021
Chart 11 – Development of total telecom market revenue by sector – 2018 – 2021
Chart 12 – Development of retail revenue by sector – 2018 – 2021
Chart 13 – Change in the number of retail subscribers by sector – 2018 – 2021
Chart 14 – Change in the number of fixed number portings – 2013 – 2019
Chart 15 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2007 – 2019
Chart 16 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 17 – Change in mobile voice traffic by type – 2018 – 2021
Chart 18 – Increase in the number of LMT’s M2M connections – 2014 – 2022
Chart 19 – Fall in SMS traffic – 2013 – 2021
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 21 – Change in the number of mobile broadband connections by data rate – 2018 – 2021
Chart 22 – Change in the average LTE download speed by MNO (Mb/s) – 2015 – 2019
Chart 23 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2018 – 2021
Chart 24 – Growth in the number of LMT’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Chart 25 – Change in the number and proportion of LMT’s prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2022
Chart 26 – Development of LMT’s mobile ARPU – 2009 – 2022
Chart 27 – Development of LMT’s financial data – 2011 – 2022
Chart 28 – Growth in LMT’s mobile services revenue – 2009 – 2022
Chart 29 – Growth in LMT’s mobile services revenue by quarter – 2012 – 2022
Chart 30 – Development of Tele2 Latvia’s financial data – 2011 – 2022
Chart 31 – Change in the number of Tele2 Latvia’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Chart 32 – Change in the number of Bité Latvia’s mobile subscribers – 2019 – 2022
Chart 34 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 35 – Decline in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 36 – Decline in the number of DSL subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Chart 37 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 38 – Decline in the number of fixed wireless broadband subscribers – 2013 – 2021
Chart 39 – Development of Lattelecom Group’s financial data – 2011 – 2021
Chart 40 – Development of Lattelecom Group’s financial data (SEK) – 2017 – 2022
Chart 41 – Change in fixed voice traffic by type – 2018 – 2021
Chart 42 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 43 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2013 – 2019
Chart 44 – Increase in internet bandwidth per subscriber – 2008 – 2017

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Europe – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Europe – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Europe – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Overview of access, the local loop and unbundling
Exhibit 7 – Overview of Carrier Selection and Carrier PreSelection

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Latvia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Latvia’s telecom regulator completes new spectrum auctions

Key Developments:

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Europe Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views