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2017 Portugal - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Overview

This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Portugal’s telecommunications market. The report analyses the mobile, internet, broadband, digital TV and converging media sectors. Subjects include:

  • Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
  • Facts, figures and statistics;
  • Industry and regulatory issues;
  • Infrastructure developments;
  • Major Players, Revenues, Subscribers, ARPU, MoU;
  • Internet, VoIP, IPTV;
  • Mobile Voice and Data Markets;
  • Broadband (FttP, DSL, cable, wireless);
  • Convergence and Digital Media;
  • Mobile subscriber and ARPU forecasts;
  • Broadband market forecasts for selective years to 2022.
  • Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
  • Market liberalisation and industry issues;
  • Telecoms operators – privatisation, IPOs, acquisitions, new licences;
  • Mobile technologies (GSM; 3G, HSPA, LTE, 5G).

Researcher:- Henry Lancaster
Current publication date:- April 2017 (16th Edition)

Executive Summary

Portuguese telcos focussed on replacing copper with fibre infrastructure

Portugal’s medium-sized telecom market has a strong mobile sector and a growing broadband customer base focussed on the delivery of fibre-based services. The country shows signs of emerging from several years in which it suffered from poor economic conditions which dented telecom revenue. Although operators’ domestic revenue is still under strain, there are encouraging signs of developing growth. Under the management of the Altice Group, revenue for Portugal Telecom increased 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2016, the first such increase in several years.

Pressure on operators has prompted considerable ownership changes in recent years. The market is now dominated by only a few players, including Portugal Telecom (with services marketed under the Meo brand), NOS (formerly Zon Multimédia) and Vodafone Portugal.

Despite some consolidation among players the Portuguese mobile market remains dominated by Portugal Telecom, followed by Vodafone and NOS. The market share held by Meo has fallen steadily in recent years, to below 44% by early 2017. The MVNO market remains undeveloped, partly because network operators have their own low-cost brands. Collectively, MVNOs have about 1.7% share of the market by subscribers.

Population coverage by 3G infrastructure is universal and so most investment has been directed to LTE and to incremental upgrades to network infrastructure. Altice Labs in February 2017 began working with Ericsson to develop 5G services and applications.

In recent years broadband penetration has grown rapidly, largely the result of joint efforts between the regulator and the key market operators which have invested in significant infrastructure upgrades focussed on fibre-based services. Portugal Telecom is aiming to cover 5.3 million premises with fibre by 2020. NOS and Vodafone Portugal are also pursuing fibre.

This report reviews the major elements of the Portuguese telecom market, presenting statistics on the fixed telephony sector as well as an analysis of the major market players. Additional information is provided on the key regulatory issues, noting the status of interconnection, local loop unbundling, number portability and carrier preselection. The report also covers converged media, including statistics on videostreaming and bundled services as well as an analysis of the major players and service offerings. In addition the report profiles the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband markets as well as the mobile voice and data markets, assessing network operators and the key regulatory issues. Subscriber forecasts are provided to 2022.

Key developments:

  • New cable to link Portugal with Brazil;
  • PT to replace copper network with FttP by 2020;
  • NOS avoids route to DOCSIS3.1 in preference for fibre;
  • Regulator decides not to impose regulations of PT’s fibre infrastructure in uncompetitive areas of the country;
  • PT revenue recovers in Q4 2016 under Altice Group ownership;
  • Vodafone achieves 1Gb/s downlink speeds in LTE-A trials;
  • Decline in SMS traffic in wake of messaging alternatives;
  • NOS network used for NB-IoT trials;
  • Vodafone retails 1Gb/s devises for customers;
  • Fibre showing strongest growth in broadband sector, accounting for 75% of all new subscribers;
  • Report update includes the regulator’s market data to Q4 2016, telcos’ operating and financial data to Q4 2016, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Portugal Telecom (Meo, TMN), NOS (Optimus, Zon Multimédia), Vodafone Portugal, CTT, Lycamobile, Sonaecom, Cabovisão.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Key statistics
    • 1.1 Country overview
  • 2. Telecommunications market
  • 3. Regulatory environment
    • 3.1 Historic overview
    • 3.2 Revised NFR
    • 3.3 Regulatory authority
    • 3.4 Government policies
      • 3.4.1 Privatisation of Telecom Portugal
    • 3.5 Interconnect
    • 3.6 Access
    • 3.7 Fibre access
    • 3.8 Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
    • 3.9 Number Portability (NP)
    • 3.10 Wholesale Line Rental (WLR)
  • 4. Fixed network operators
    • 4.1 Introduction
    • 4.2 Portugal Telecom
    • 4.3 Oni Communications
    • 4.4 Sonaecom
      • 4.4.1 Novis
    • 4.5 AR Telecom
      • 4.5.1 Jazztel (historic)
    • 4.6 NOS
  • 5. Telecommunications infrastructure
    • 5.1 National telecom network
      • 5.1.1 Next Generation Networks (NGNs)
    • 5.2 International infrastructure
    • 5.3 Data centres
  • 6. Broadband market
    • 6.1 Introduction and statistical overview
      • 6.1.1 Market analysis
      • 6.1.2 Broadband statistics
      • 6.1.3 Forecasts – broadband subscribers – 2018; 2020; 2022
    • 6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
      • 6.2.1 NOS
      • 6.2.2 Nowo (Cabovisão)
    • 6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
      • 6.3.1 Portugal Telecom (Meo)
      • 6.3.2 Sonaecom
    • 6.4 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
      • 6.4.1 Sonaecom
      • 6.4.2 NOS
      • 6.4.3 Portugal Telecom
      • 6.4.4 Vodafone Portugal
    • 6.5 Other fixed broadband services
      • 6.5.1 Broadband over Powerline (BPL)
      • 6.5.2 Wireless broadband
    • 6.6 Competition issues
      • 6.6.1 Wholesale
      • 6.6.2 Naked DSL
  • 7. Digital media
    • 7.1 Overview
    • 7.2 Key general trends
    • 7.3 Bundeld services
    • 7.4 Digital TV (DTV)
      • 7.4.1 Introduction
      • 7.4.2 Videostreaming
      • 7.4.3 Communications: VoIP
      • 7.4.4 Cable TV (CATV)
      • 7.4.5 Satellite-based digital pay-TV developments
      • 7.4.6 Digital Terrestrial TV
  • 8. Mobile communications
    • 8.1 Market analysis
    • 8.2 Mobile statistics
      • 8.2.1 General statistics
      • 8.2.2 Mobile voice
      • 8.2.3 Mobile data
      • 8.2.4 Forecasts – mobile subscribers – 2018; 2020; 2022
    • 8.3 Regulatory issues
      • 8.3.1 Spectrum regulations and spectrum auctions
      • 8.3.2 Roaming
      • 8.3.3 Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
      • 8.3.4 Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
      • 8.3.5 Network sharing
    • 8.4 Mobile infrastructure
      • 8.4.1 Digital networks
      • 8.4.2 Third Generation (3G) mobile
      • 8.4.3 Long-term Evolution (LTE)
      • 8.4.4 5G
      • 8.4.5 Other infrastructure developments
      • 8.4.6 Machine-to-Machine (M2M)
      • 8.4.7 Internet-of-Things (IoT)
    • 8.5 Major mobile operators
      • 8.5.1 Meo
      • 8.5.2 Vodafone Portugal
      • 8.5.3 NOS (Zon Optimus)
      • 8.5.4 Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
    • 8.6 Mobile content and applications
      • 8.6.1 Location-based services
      • 8.6.2 Other developments
      • 8.6.3 M-payments
      • 8.6.4 Mobile TV
    • 8.7 Mobile handsets
    • Table 1 – Country statistics – 2016 (e)
    • Table 2 – Telecom revenue and investment statistics – 2016 (e)
    • Table 3 – Telephone network statistics – 2016 (e)
    • Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2016
    • Table 5 – Broadband statistics – 2016
    • Table 6 – Mobile statistics – 2016 (e)
    • Table 7 – National telecommunications authority
    • Table 8 – Number and type of access lines: analogue and digital – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 9 – Fixed telephone customers, access type and shared access lines – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 10 – Portugal Telecom’s share of direct access customers – 2005 - 2016
    • Table 11 – Ported fixed-line numbers – 2001 - 2017
    • Table 12 – Multiplay and telephony services revenue – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 13 – Fixed-line revenue: subscription, traffic (historic) – 2007 - 2010
    • Table 14 – Fixed-telephony service revenue, by sector – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 15 – Total fixed-telephony service revenue – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 16 – Fixed-telephony traffic – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 17 – Share of fixed-line access installations by operator (old format) – 2010 - 2014
    • Table 18 – Share of fixed-line access installations by operator – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 19 – Portugal Telecom DSL-based consumer accesses and subscribers by sector – 2009 - 2015
    • Table 20 – Portugal Telecom fibre-based RGUs – 2015 - 2016
    • Table 21 – Portugal Telecom domestic financial data (old style) – 2005 - 2011
    • Table 22 – Portugal Telecom domestic revenue by segment – 2010 - 2014
    • Table 23 – Portugal Telecom financial data – 2013 - 2014
    • Table 24 – Portugal Telecom (under Altice) revenue – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 25 – Sonaecom financial data – 2006 - 2016
    • Table 26 – Sonaecom financial data (old format) – 2006 - 2012
    • Table 27 – Sonaecom fixed-line subscribers by sector (historic) – 2008 - 2012
    • Table 28 – NOS financial data – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 29 – NOS revenue by segment – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 30 – NOS subscribers – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 31 – Zon Multimédia subscribers by type (historic) – 2007 - 2012
    • Table 32 – Zon Multimédia financial data (historic) – 2007 - 2012
    • Table 33 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1999 - 2009
    • Table 34 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 - 2018
    • Table 35 – Fixed line telephony subscribers – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 36 – VoIP and mobile voice accesses – 2013 - 2016
    • Table 37 – International internet bandwidth – 2001 - 2015
    • Table 38 – Fixed-line internet subscribers by access type – 2005 - 2016
    • Table 39 – Fixed-line internet revenue – 2014 – 2016
    • Table 40 – Historic - Internet users and penetration – 2000 - 2009
    • Table 41 – Internet users and penetration – 2010 - 2018
    • Table 42 – Proportion of broadband subscribers by access type – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 43 – Fixed broadband subscribers by type – 2000 - 2016
    • Table 44 – Broadband subscriber annual change year-on-year – 2002 - 2016
    • Table 45 – Broadband penetration by sector – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 46 – Share of broadband accesses by operator (old format) – 2010 - 2014
    • Table 47 – Share of broadband accesses by operator (new format) – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 48 – Fixed-line and mobile broadband traffic – 2008 - 2016
    • Table 49 – Fixed-line and mobile broadband traffic per month per customer – 2008 - 2016
    • Table 50 – Proportion of broadband subscribers by data rate (Mb/s) – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 51 – Forecast broadband subscribers – higher market growth scenario – 2018; 2020; 2022
    • Table 52 – Cable DOCSIS3.0 connected premises – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 53 – NOS cable broadband subscribers – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 54 – Portugal Telecom DSL broadband subscribers – 2006 - 2016
    • Table 55 – FttP/B connected premises – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 56 – FttX subscribers – 2008 - 2016
    • Table 57 – Portugal Telecom fibred premises and subscribers – 2015 - 2016
    • Table 58 – Vodafone fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 59 – Portugal Telecom wholesale accesses (historic) – 2004 - 2011
    • Table 60 – Subscribers to bundled services (old style) – 2007 - 2013
    • Table 61 – Bundled services subscribers by type – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 62 – Proportion of bundles by type – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 63 – Bundled services market revenue by type – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 64 – Bundled services average revenue per subscriber – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 65 – NOS bundled services subscribers – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 66 – Bundled services market share by subscribers – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 67 – Penetration of bundled services by type – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 68 – Revenue from subscription TV services – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 69 – TV accesses by platform – 2002 - 2016
    • Table 70 – IPTV subscribers – 2009 - 2015
    • Table 71 – Portugal Telecom pay-TV subscribers – 2008 - 2016
    • Table 72 – Market share of DSL TV subscribers by operator – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 73 – Penetration of IPTV (FttP) subscribers by type – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 74 – FttH/B IPTV subscribers – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 75 – Market share of fibre TV subscribers by operator – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 76 – VoIP subscribers – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 77 – Nomadic VoIP subscribers – 2006 - 2016
    • Table 78 – Cable TV subscriber share by operator – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 79 – CATV subscribers – 2008 - 2016
    • Table 80 – Cabled households – 2000 - 2016
    • Table 81 – Penetration of TV cable subscribers by type – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 82 – NOS (Zon Optimus) cable and broadband TV subscribers – 2007 - 2015
    • Table 83 – Satellite TV subscriber households – 1998 - 2016
    • Table 84 – Market share of DTH subscriptions by operator – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 85 – Penetration of DHT subscribers by type – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 86 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration (regulator data) – 1999 - 2009
    • Table 87 – Mobile subscribers and penetration (regulator data) – 2010 - 2018
    • Table 88 – Active mobile subscribers (regulator data) – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 89 – Mobile sector revenue – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 90 – Mobile operators’ market share of subscribers (main players) – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 91 – Outgoing mobile calls and traffic volume – 2002 - 2016
    • Table 92 – Mobile prepaid subscribers, proportion prepaid – 2003 - 2016
    • Table 93 – Average revenue per mobile subscriber – 2013 - 2016
    • Table 94 – Mobile internet sessions and traffic – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 95 – Proportion of mobile subscribers using instant messaging – 2013 - 2016
    • Table 96 – SMS messages sent annually – 2004 - 2016
    • Table 97 – SMS messages sent per user per month – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 98 – Premium SMS messages sent – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 99 – MMS messages sent – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 100 – MMS messages sent per user per month – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 101 – Active mobile broadband subscribers – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 102 – Mobile broadband devices – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 103 – Share of mobile broadband subscribers by operator (cards/modems) – 2010 - 2015
    • Table 104 – Share of mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 105 – Mobile broadband revenue – 2007 - 2015
    • Table 106 – NOS mobile data use per subscriber – 2012 - 2015
    • Table 107 – Forecast mobile subscribers – 2018; 2020; 2022
    • Table 108 – Multiband auction results – 2012
    • Table 109 – Roaming in call traffic volume and messages – 2003 - 2016
    • Table 110 – European roaming charges – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 111 – European data roaming charges – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 112 – Accumulated mobile number portings – 2002 - 2017
    • Table 113 – MTRs – 2009 - 2012
    • Table 114 – 3G video calls and traffic data – 2007 - 2016
    • Table 115 – 3G mobile subscribers – 2011 - 2016
    • Table 116 – M2M subscriptions – 2012 - 2016
    • Table 117 – M2M sessions and traffic – 2013 - 2016
    • Table 118 – Meo residential ARPU and data percentage – 2006 - 2016
    • Table 119 – Meo subscribers – 2006 - 2016
    • Table 120 – Meo mobile revenue – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 121 – Vodafone Portugal subscribers, proportion prepaid – 2006 - 2016
    • Table 122 – Vodafone monthly ARPU: prepaid, contract and blended – 2005 - 2016
    • Table 123 – Vodafone financial data – 2007 - 2017
    • Table 124 – NOS blended mobile ARPU – 2014 - 2016
    • Table 125 – NOS mobile subscribers – 2003 - 2016
    • Table 126 – Historic - Optimus operational statistics – 2006 - 2012
    • Table 127 – Historic - Optimus financial data – 2006 - 2012
    • Table 128 – Historic - Optimus revenue by type – 2006 - 2012
    • Table 129 – Mobile TV sessions and traffic – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 130 – Mobile TV subscribers – 2010 - 2016
    • Table 131 – Mobile TV revenue – 2007 - 2011
    • Chart 1 – Number and type of access lines: analogue and digital – 2004 – 2016
    • Chart 2 – Sonaecom financial data – 2006 – 2016
    • Chart 3 – NOS subscribers by type – 2012 – 2016
    • Chart 4 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2005 – 2018
    • Chart 5 – Fixed-line internet revenue – 2014 – 2016
    • Chart 6 – Proportion of broadband subscribers by access type – 2007 - 2016
    • Chart 7 – Total broadband subscribers by type – 2000 – 2016
    • Chart 8 – Broadband penetration by sector – 2007 – 2016
    • Chart 9 – Subscribers to bundled services – 2011 - 2016
    • Chart 10 – NOS triple-play subscribers – 2007 - 2016
    • Chart 11 – TV accesses by platform – 2011 – 2016
    • Chart 12 – Active mobile subscribers and SIM penetration rate (regulator data) – 2003 - 2018
    • Chart 13 – Mobile operators’ market share – 2004 - 2016
    • Chart 14 – Mobile prepaid subscribers, proportion prepaid – 2003 – 2016
    • Chart 15 – Mobile broadband subscribers – 2010 - 2016
    • Chart 16 – Roaming in call traffic volume and messages – 2003 - 2016
    • Chart 17 – 3G video calls and traffic data – 2007 - 2016
    • Chart 18 – Vodafone monthly ARPU: prepaid, contract and blended – 2005 - 2016
    • Chart 19 – Vodafone financial data (year to Mar) – 2007 - 2017
    • Exhibit 1 – EU – The New Regulatory Framework (NRF)
    • Exhibit 2 – Access and the local loop
    • Exhibit 3 – Overview of digital media

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Number of pages 90

Status Archived

Last updated 18 Apr 2017
Update History

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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