Last updated: 26 Oct 2011 Update History
Report Status: Archived
Report Pages: 57
Analyst: Henry Lancaster
Publication Overview
This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Slovakia’s telecommunications market. The report analyses the mobile, broadband, digital TV and converging media sectors. Subjects include:
Key developments:
Slovakia trials DVB-T2; UPC Slovakia’s 120Mb/s Fibre Power service extended to ten cities; municipal FttH developments; WiMAX Telecom bought by Slovanet; regulator calls for tenders for a fourth DTTV multiplex; MNOs begin LTE trials in the 2.6GHz band; revenue slides in wake of regulatory measures and falling number of contract customers; regulator to auction additional spectrum in the 800MHz and 2600MHz bands in the first quarter of 2012, expanding rural broadband coverage; government upholds regulator’s licence renewal charges on Orange Slovensko and T-Mobile; Orange upgrades base stations for HSPA+ and successfully tests a 42Mb/s service; Telefonica Slovakia launches commercial 3G services; STV ends analogue TV broadcasts; Slovak Telecom and T-Mobile Slovensko integrate; regulator transposes new NRF into law; state’s sale of remaining interest in Slovak Telecom delayed until after March 2012 elections; Slovak Telekom contracts Ericsson to manage its fixed line network; operator data to June 2011.
Companies covered in this report include:
Slovak Telecom, UPC Slovakia, T-Mobile Slovensko, Orange Slovensko, Telefónica O2, GTS Slovakia.
Researcher:- Henry Lancaster
Current publication date:- October 2011 (10th Edition)
Executive Summary
BuddeComm’s annual publication, Slovakia - Telecoms, IP Networks, Digital Media and Forecasts, provides a comprehensive overview of the trends and developments in the telecommunications and digital media markets in one of Eastern Europe’s smaller but more progressive markets. It includes operator data to June 2011.
Slovakia enjoyed strong economic growth after joining the European Union (EU) in mid-2004: from 2004 until 2009 real GDP grew by an average 7.4% while unemployment dropped significantly. With an export-dependent economy, the recent global economic turmoil has hit Slovakia’s exports to its principal trading partners Germany, the Czech Republic and France. It also softened domestic demand for goods due to falling consumer confidence and rising unemployment: the country entered its first recession since independence in 1993. Real GDP contracted 4.8% in 2009 before a recovery in 2010 with an estimated growth at 4%. This is expected to continue in 2011 with estimated growth at 3.8%.
Yet the economic turmoil has not hit telecoms and IT services as much as it has other sectors, such as manufacturing and finance. This is largely due to telecoms and IT services being productivity enablers. In addition, many services (particularly broadband and mobile telephony) are considered essential by most consumers who make use of them, and so for operators there is a guaranteed revenue stream though growth has been stymied by competition and a host of regulatory measures, contributing to lower revenue in both 2009 and 2010. This is expected to continue for 2011 before showing moderate growth in 2012, largely on the back on the developing broadband and mobile telephony sectors.
Economic conditions have also exacerbated funding difficulties for telecoms projects. Total investment in telecom networks fell 3.7% in 2009 to €390 million, including a 26% drop reported by mobile operators (to €133 million).
Broadband services are widely available in Slovakia. A large number of ISPs are active in the market, principally in the DSL sector through LLU on Slovak Telecom’s network, though there are also a number of cable broadband operators serving the main towns. A small number of FttX networks have been built, while wireless broadband via WiMAX networks are complemented by services offered by mobile network operators. The dominant ISP Slovak Telecom, majority-owned by Deutsche Telekom, is pursuing a growth strategy centred on broadband, online services and pay TV. Upgraded networks (with ADSL2+ and DOCSIS3.0 technologies) have enabled providers to introduce bandwidth-intensive applications and services: bundled offers based on these services will be a key growth area in coming years. Such applications also increase the potential value of existing fixed-line subscriptions for subscribers who may otherwise cancel fixed-line services for mobile-only solutions.
The mobile market is a triopoly of the MNOs T-Mobile Slovensko, Orange Slovensko and Telefonica 02. High voice penetration is indicative of multiple SIM card use. New revenue growth opportunities for all three operators lie in mobile broadband, given the low mobile broadband penetration levels at present. Hence competitively-priced mobile broadband access services have been launched, often bundling generous prepaid data plans. LTE services, trialled during 2011, will complement commercial HSPA services by the end of 2012.
Key telecom parameters – 2010; 2012
Sector |
2010 |
2012 (e) |
Subscribers to telecom services: |
||
Fixed broadband (thousand) |
877 |
1,240 |
Fixed-line telephony (thousand) |
1,100 |
950 |
Mobile phone (million) |
5.9 |
6.3 |
Penetration rate for telecoms services: |
||
Fixed broadband |
18% |
22% |
Fixed-line telephony |
18% |
17% |
Mobile SIM (population) |
110% |
114% |
(Source: BuddeComm)
Market Highlights
This report is essential reading for those needing high level strategic information and objective analysis on the telecom sector in Slovakia. It provides further information on:
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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