2018 Bulgaria - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 26 Sep 2018 Update History

Report Status: Archived

Report Pages: 103

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Publication Overview

This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Bulgaria’s telecommunications market. The report analyses the fixed-line, mobile and broadband 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;
Mobile Voice and Data Markets;
Broadband (FttP, DSL, cable, wireless);
Mobile subscribers and ARPU;
Broadband market forecasts;
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:- September 2018 (16th Edition)

Executive Summary

Bulgarian telecoms sector attracting more international investment

Bulgaria’s telecoms market in recent years has been affected by the country’s difficult macroeconomic climate, as well as relatively high unemployment and a shrinking population. These factors have contributed to steadily declining revenue across the sector since 2008. Consumers continue to migrate from fixed-line voice telephony to mobile and VoIP alternatives, while there is increasing pressure on SMS and MMS services from the growing use of alternative OTT messaging services. Mobile network operators are also faced with reduced roaming revenue and the popularity of bundled services which has reduced revenue from stand-alone offers. Nevertheless, there are considerable opportunities for telcos, and despite these manifest pressures the country’s telecom sector continues to attract investors, as seen in Telenor Group’s recent sale of its local unit to the PPF Group.

The broadband market enjoys excellent cross-platform competition, including services based on DSL, cable, fibre, WiMAX and LAN technologies. While the share of the market held by cable has increased slightly in recent years, the DSL sector is losing market share as a result of customers being migrated to fibre networks, particularly those operated by the incumbent telco Vivacom. By mid-2018 about 56% of Vivacom’s fixed-line broadband subscribers were on fibre infrastructure.

The country has undertaken steps to develop an internet society encompassing commerce, health and government services.

This report provides an overview of Bulgaria’s fixed-line telecom market, including data on regulatory developments, the strategies and performances of the major operators and an assessment of the evolution of fixed-line networks. The report also covers the fixed-line and fixed-wireless broadband sectors, including a review of technologies, the major players, market developments, statistics and subscriber forecasts. In addition the report assesses the mobile market, including a variety of statistics and analyses covering the major operators, market developments, services offered and emerging technologies.

Key developments:

Telenor Bulgaria and Vivacom launch VoLTE services;
A1 Bulgaria trials 5G;
Regulator proposes auction of up to 580MHz of additional spectrum;
Vivacom extends the reach of its LTE-A service;
Telenor Group sells in business in Bulgaria to the PPF Group;
Amended Electronic Communications Act focused on enhancing regulator's powers;
Regulator awards additional spectrum in the 1800MHz band for LTE use;
MNP takes off under new regulatory measures;
Cooolbox launches 1Gb/s FttP service;
Government investment program for broadband in rural areas;
Vivacom's FiberNet offer passes 1.15 million premises;
Report update includes the regulator's market data for 2017, telcos' operating and financial data to Q2 2018, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Vivacom, A1 Bulgaria (MobilTel), Telenor Bulgaria, A1 Bulgaria (MobilTel), Trans Telecom, Vivacom, Bulgarian Telecom and Television, Blizoo, Vivacom, Orbitel, Vestitel, A1 Bulgaria (MobilTel).

Henry Lancaster
September 2018

Key statistics

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnect

Access

Number Portability (NP)
Carrier selection/Carrier PreSelection

Fixed network operators

Introduction
Vivacom/Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC)
A1 Bulgaria

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International networks

Broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Market analysis
Broadband statistics
Forecasts – broadband subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
Other fixed broadband services

World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)
Satellite broadband

Digital economy

E-government
E-health

Mobile communications

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

General statistics

Mobile infrastructure

Mobile voice
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Regulatory issues

GSM licences
Third generation (3G) licences
800MHz
1800MHz
2.5-2.6GHz
Other spectrum
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Roaming
Mobile Termination Rates (MTR)

Major mobile operators

Vivacom
A1 Bulgaria (MobilTel/M-Tel)
Telenor Bulgaria (Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile/GloBul)
Mobile content and applications
Mobile virtual network Operators (MVNOs)

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Bulgaria – 2018 (e)
Table 2 – Telecom sector investment – 2015 – 2017
Table 3 – Investment in NGA – 2013 – 2017
Table 4 – Telecom sector revenue, annual change – 2006 – 2017
Table 5 – Telecom sector revenue by service – 2008 – 2017
Table 6 – Proportion of telecom sector revenue by service – 2011 – 2017
Table 7 – Share of fixed-voice revenue by type – 2011 – 2017
Table 8 – Cumulative fixed number portings – 2009 – 2016
Table 9 – Vivacom financial data – 2003 – 2018
Table 10 – Vivacom financial data by sector – 2010 – 2017
Table 11 – Vivacom subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2018
Table 12 – Vivacom pay TV and IPTV subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 13 – A1 Bulgaria fixed-telephony and broadband RGUs – 2011 – 2018
Table 14 – A1 Bulgaria fixed access lines – 2011 – 2018
Table 15 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2000 – 2018
Table 16 – International bandwidth – 2000 – 2016
Table 17 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 2000 – 2009
Table 18 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2010 - 2018
Table 19 – Fixed-line broadband market share by access type – 2009 – 2017
Table 20 – Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2005 – 2018
Table 21 – Fixed broadband subscribers by data speed – 2010- 2017
Table 22 – Total /internet (retail and wholesale) revenue – 2008 – 2017
Table 23 – Retail and wholesale internet revenue – 2015 – 2017
Table 24 – Forecast fixed broadband subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
Table 25 – A1 Bulgaria broadband subscribers –2011 – 2018
Table 26 – Cable broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2017
Table 27 – DSL subscribers – 2005 – 2017
Table 28 – Vivacom broadband subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 29 – Vivacom fibre broadband connections and homes passed – 2013 – 2018
Table 30 – FttP subscribers – 2008 – 2017
Table 31 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 1995 – 2009
Table 32 – Mobile subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2018
Table 33 – Mobile base stations in service by technology – 2012 – 2016
Table 34 – Mobile sector revenue – 2009 – 2018
Table 35 – Proportion of mobile revenue by service – 2010 – 2017
Table 36 – Mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2006 – 2017
Table 37 – Mobile market share of revenue by operator – 2007- 2016
Table 38 – Mobile market revenue share by service – 2008 – 2017
Table 39 – Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2002 – 2017
Table 40 – A1 Bulgaria prepaid subscribers – 2004 – 2018
Table 41 – LTE subscribers – 2015 – 2017
Table 42 – Total SMS messages sent – 2003 – 2017
Table 43 – Total MMS messages sent – 2003 – 2017
Table 44 – Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2018
Table 45 – A1 Bulgaria mobile broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2018
Table 46 – Annual mobile number portings – 2008 – 2016
Table 47 – European roaming charges – 2007 – 2016
Table 48 – European data roaming charges – 2014 – 2017
Table 49 – MTRs – 2014 – 2018
Table 50 – Vivacom mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2018
Table 51 – Vivacom mobile revenue – 2009 – 2017
Table 52 – Vivacom annualised mobile ARPU – 2015 – 2017
Table 53 – A1 Bulgaria financial data – 2005 – 2018
Table 54 – A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid and blended monthly ARPU – 2004 – 2018
Table 55 – A1 Bulgaria mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Table 56 – A1 Bulgaria Minutes of Use (MOU) – 2007 – 2018
Table 57 – Historic - Telenor Bulgaria financial data (€) – 2009 – 2013
Table 58 – Historic - Telenor Bulgaria mobile services revenue (€) – 2011 – 2013
Table 59 – Telenor Bulgaria financial data (NOK) – 2013 – 2018
Table 60 – Telenor Bulgaria subscribers – 2007 – 2018

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Telecom sector revenue by service – 2008 – 2017
Chart 2 – Proportion of telecom sector revenue by service – 2011 – 2017
Chart 3 – Vivacom financial data – 2003 – 2018
Chart 4 – Vivacom financial data by sector – 2010 – 2017
Chart 5 – Vivacom subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2018
Chart 6 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2000 – 2018
Chart 7 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2005 – 2018
Chart 8 – Fixed-line broadband market share by access type – 2009 – 2017
Chart 9 – Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2005 – 2018
Chart 10 – Fixed broadband subscribers by data speed – 2010- 2017
Chart 11 – Mobile subscribers and penetration – 2002 - 2018
Chart 12 – Mobile base stations in service by technology – 2012 – 2016
Chart 13 – Mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2006 – 2017
Chart 14 – Mobile market revenue share by service – 2009 – 2017
Chart 15 – A1 Bulgaria financial data – 2005 – 2018
Chart 16 – A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid and blended monthly ARPU – 2004 – 2018
Chart 17 – Telenor Bulgaria financial data (NOK) – 2013 – 2018
Chart 18 – Telenor Bulgaria subscribers – 2007 – 2018

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Access, the local loop and unbundling – an overview

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2018 Bulgaria - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Bulgarian telecoms sector attracting more international investment

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Broadband market

Digital economy

Mobile communications

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views