2009 Netherlands - Telecoms, IP Networks and Digital Media

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Last updated: 12 Aug 2009 Update History

Report Status: Archived

Report Pages: 104

Publication Overview

This annual report offers a wealth of information on the trends and developments in fixed-line and mobile telephony, Broadband, digital media, convergence and new technologies in the Netherlands. Subjects include:

·         Key country and telecom statistics;

·         Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;

·         Regulatory environment;

·         Major players – revenues, subscribers, ARPU);

·         Infrastructure and fibre developments;

·         Mobile voice and data markets;

·         Converging media, including VoIP, VoD and IPTV;

·         Broadband (fixed and mobile);

·         Fixed broadband forecasts through until 2018;

·         Mobile subscriber forecasts through until 2014.

 

Researcher:- Henry Lancaster

Current publication date:- August 2009 (8th Edition

Next publication date:- August 2010

Executive Summary

BuddeComm’s annual publication, Netherlands - Telecoms, IP Networks and Digital Media, provides a comprehensive overview of the trends and developments in the telecommunications and digital media markets in the Netherlands.

 

The Dutch telecom market enjoys one of the most developed infrastructures in Europe, with near-comprehensive cable and DSL coverage providing a solid foundation for the country’s competitive converged service offerings. There are at least a dozen operators offering a double-play package, while several others offer full triple play services to more than a million subscribers. In addition, the country is at the forefront of fibre network development, benefiting from effective collaboration between national and local governments, municipalities and utilities. As a result, the Netherlands will maintain its broadband lead into the fibre age.

 

Mobile penetration is above the European average, while the main providers T-Mobile, KPN and Vodafone have all invested strongly in technology upgrades to push consumer use of mobile data services.

 

Netherlands – key telecom parameters – 2004; 2008

Sector

2004

2008

Fixed-line service:

Total subscribers (million)

7.8

7.2

Annual change

-16%

-1%

Fixed-line penetration (population)

53%

50%

Broadband:

Subscribers (million)

2.97

5.88

Annual change

55%

5%

Broadband penetration (population)

18.3%

35.8%

Mobile services:

Total subscribers (million)

15.0

21.0

Annual change

13%

11%

Mobile penetration (population)

92%

126%

(Source: BuddeComm)

 

Key highlights:

·         Regulatory uncertainty since 2005 regarding KPN’s All IP plans put a brake on alternative operator investment in equipping soon-to-be redundant exchanges. From mid-2010, exchanges will be phased out and current LLU providers will have to migrate to wholesale FttH or FttC solutions.

·         The Netherlands is one of the main countries in the world to have significant FttH networks. By mid-2009 fibre accounted for about 6% of all broadband connections, which should rise to between 35% and 42% by 2013. KPN planned to ramp-up its efforts and investments in the sector in coming years, so fibre penetration could reach 95% by 2020-2025.

·         The converged media market, including VoD and other media-rich services, has stimulated consumer demand for faster access speeds. KPN’s All-IP NGN is being matched by its principal cable competitors, UPC Nederland and Ziggo, which in 2010 will both provide 100Mb/s services using EuroDOCSIS 3.0 technology.

·         Mobile data revenues are comparatively low in the Netherlands, representing only about 5% of total mobile revenue. Cost considerations discourage about half of users from spending anything on mobile data services, so to address this reticence mobile operators have introduced flat-fees and cheaper prices. Competition among the three HSPA providers should stimulate data use in coming years.

 

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

 

The following notes provide some background to our scenario forecasting methodology:

·         This report includes what we term scenario forecasts. By describing long-range scenarios we identify a band within which we expect market growth to occur. The associated text describes what we see as the most likely growth trend within this band.

·         The projections shown in the tables in this report are based on our own historical information, as well as on telecommunication sector statistics from official and non-official, national and international sources. We assume a possible deviation of 15-20% around this data.

·         All statistics for GDP, revenue, etc are shown in US$, in order to maintain consistency within and between markets. At the same time we acknowledge that this can introduce some irregularities.

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