Argentina Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 14 Feb 2025 Update History

Report Status: Current

Report Pages: 214

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Argentina’s telcos reduce investment in response to public service commitments

Argentina’s ongoing problem with hyperinflation continues to distort the telecom market’s performance, which shows strong growth in revenue but only modest gains in subscriber numbers each year. The country’s economic challenges are being met in part by a program which involves the dollarization of the economy, allowing Argentinians to make use of the local currency in tandem with the US dollar.

Fixed-line teledensity continues on its slow, gradual decline year upon year. The fixed broadband segment has a relatively moderate penetration level, approaching 25% in early 2025. The number of subscribers to DSL has fallen considerably in recent years as subscribers are migrated to fibre. Cable remains the dominant platform, accounting for just under half of all connections, but the number of connections has fallen year-on-year since 2021.

Mobile broadband continues to be the preferred platform for internet access, supported by high mobile penetration levels and nationwide LTE coverage. The first 5G service was launched in February 2021 using re-farmed LTE frequencies. The 5G spectrum auction held in October 2023 provided an additional 250MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz range, and this has helped the three licensees to improve service offerings and widen the reach of 5G beyond the main cities. Nevertheless, access to 5G remains relatively low.

While the various fixed, mobile, and cable operators push to expand and enhance their services, the government is also making an active contribution towards boosting broadband connectivity around the country. Its national connectivity plan ‘Plan Conectar’, launched in September 2020, provides funding for a range of programs to increase coverage. This was complemented in the same year by a government decree which declared that ICT services and access to telecom networks were essential for citizens. Although the government intended for the telcos to thereby support the provision of services to poorly served areas of the country, the immediate effect was to discourage their investment on the grounds that these new obligations substantially modified the conditions of their spectrum concessions as well as their freedom to charge rates which provided a healthy commercial return.

To address connectivity in rural areas, the regulator has turned to satellite technology: in May 2023 it authorised Amazon’s Project Kuiper to provide broadband services across the country, while a deal was also struck with SpaceX’s Starlink’s satellite broadband service in late 2024.

Key developments:

EdgeUno announces plans to build the 2,550km Argentina-Chile Digital Bridge fibre cable connecting Santiago and Buenos Aires.
Telespazio Argentina signs a deal with Altec to deliver Starlink’s satellite broadband service to schools and government offices in Patagonia.
Telecom regulator completes auction of 5G-suitable spectrum in the 3.5GHz range, with Claro, Movistar, and Personal all securing concessions.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite broadband services receives licence to operate in Argentina.
Telefónica hires investment bank JPMorgan to evaluate the sale of its Argentine business.
Report includes the regulator's market data to September 2024, telcos' financial and operating data updates to Q3 2024, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Movistar, Telefónica de Argentina, Telecom Argentina, Grupo Clarín, Claro, Telmex, Telecom Personal, Nextel Argentina, IPLAN, ARSAT, Cablevisión, VeloCom, Fibrenet, Arnet, MercadoLibre.

Key statistics
Regional Latin America 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

Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones (ENACOM)

Fixed-line developments

Argentina Digital Act
Universal Service Fund
Interconnect
Number Portability (NP)
Single licence

Mobile network developments

Spectrum auctions
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Calling Party Pays (CCP)
Roaming
SIM card registration

Mobile market

Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Claro
Telecom Personal
Movistar
Nextel Argentina
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Fixed-line broadband market

National Broadband Plan

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks

Cablevisión

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

Movistar (Telefónica Argentina/Speedy)
Telecom Argentina (Arnet)

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

Wireless broadband
Satellite broadband

Digital economy

E-government
E-education
E-commerce

MercadoLibre

Online banking

Fixed network market

Major fixed-network operators

Telefónica de Argentina
Telecom Argentina
Telecom cooperatives
Telmex Argentina
IPLAN

Telecommunications infrastructure

National telecom network
International infrastructure

Terrestrial cable networks
Submarine cable networks
Satellite networks

Wholesale

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Argentina – 2025 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom revenue by segment (ARS million) – 2014 – 2024
Table 3 – Development of telecom sector ARPU by segment (ARS / month) – 2013 – 2024
Table 4 – Investment by sector (ARS billion) – 2013 – 2019
Table 5 – Change in annual mobile numbers ported – 2012 – 2024
Table 6 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 7 – Change in mobile operators’ market share – 2011 – 2024
Table 8 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid mobile subscribers (million) – 2013 – 2024
Table 9 – Change in the ratio of mobile prepaid/postpaid subscribers – 2013 – 2024
Table 10 – Growth in mobile market revenue and investment (ARS million) – 2013 – 2024
Table 11 – Development of annualised mobile ARPU – 2013 – 2024
Table 12 – Change in mobile voice traffic (billion minutes) – 2013 – 2024
Table 13 – Growth in the number of Movistar’s LTE subscribers and penetration – 2016 – 2019
Table 14 – Increase in the number of LTE base stations in service – 2015 – 2024
Table 15 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2011 – 2024
Table 16 – Decline in average SMS traffic per user per month– 2016 – 2024
Table 17 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2027
Table 18 – Growth in the number of Claro’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2011 – 2024
Table 19 – Growth in Claro’s wireless revenue – 2009 – 2024
Table 20 – Change in Telecom Personal’s mobile subscribers and annual change – 2011 – 2024
Table 21 – Change in the number of Personal’s subscribers by type (million) – 2013 – 2024
Table 22 – Change in telecom Personal’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2024
Table 23 – Development of Telecom Personal’s mobile service revenue (ARS million) – 2012 – 2024
Table 24 – Personal - mobile data and voice usage per month – 2013 – 2021
Table 25 – Change in the number of Movistar’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Table 26 – Development of Movistar’s mobile revenue (€ million) – 2014 – 2024
Table 27 – Decline in Movistar’s blended mobile ARPU – 2008 – 2019
Table 28 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 29 – Change in broadband market share by technology – 2011 – 2024
Table 30 – Decline in the number of dial-up subscriptions – 2011 – 2024
Table 31 – Growth in fixed internet services revenue – 2014 – 2024
Table 32 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by access speed – 2014 – 2024
Table 33 – increase in the average fixed broadband download speed – 2014 – 2024
Table 34 – Fixed internet services ARPU – 2013 – 2024
Table 35 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2024
Table 36 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2024
Table 37 – Change in the number of Movistar’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Table 38 – Growth in the number of Telecom Argentina’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2024
Table 39 – Change in Telecom Argentina’s broadband ARPU – 2011 – 2024
Table 40 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2024
Table 41 – Growth in the number of fixed wireless broadband connections – 2010 – 2024
Table 42 – Development of Telefónica de Argentina’s financial data (€ million) – 2009 – 2024
Table 43 – Decline in the number of Telefónica de Argentina’s fixed lines in service (million) – 2011 – 2024
Table 44 – Development of Telefónica de Argentina’s annualised fixed ARPU (€/month) – 2016 – 2019
Table 45 – Development of Cablevision’s financial data (ARS billion) – 2020 – 2024
Table 46 – Development of Telecom Argentina’s financial data (ARS billion) – 2011 – 2024
Table 47 – Development of Telecom Argentina’s capex and EBITDA (ARS billion) – 2017 – 2024
Table 48 – Growth in Telecom Argentina’s domestic revenue by service (ARS billion) – 2011 – 2024
Table 49 – Change in the number of Telecom Argentina’s fixed lines – 2011 – 2024
Table 50 – Growth in the number of Telmex’s fixed-line subscribers – 2009 – 2024
Table 51 – Development of Telmex’s fixed-line financial data (ARS million) – 2011 – 2024
Table 52 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 53 – Decline in fixed-line household teledensity – 2013 – 2024
Table 54 – Fixed Telephony ARPU (ARS) – 2011 – 2024
Table 55 – Historic - Evolution of GDP in Argentina – 2000 – 2010
Table 56 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1996 – 2011
Table 57 – Historic - Telecom Argentina fixed lines in service – 2000 – 2010
Table 58 – Historic - Telefónica de Argentina fixed lines in service (million) – 2000 – 2010
Table 59 – Historic - International bandwidth – 2000 – 2010
Table 60 – Historic - Movistar wholesale accesses – 2005 – 2017
Table 61 – Historic - Internet users and user penetration – 1996 – 2015
Table 62 – Historic - Fixed-line internet subscribers and penetration rates – 2000 – 2010
Table 63 – Historic - DSL subscribers and penetration rates – 2001 – 2010
Table 64 –Movistar’s mobile revenue (€ million) – 2009 – 2013
Table 65 – Historic - Cable modem subscribers and penetration rates – 2001 – 2010
Table 66 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rates – 2001 – 2011
Table 67 – Historic - Movistar broadband subscribers – 2001 – 2010
Table 68 – Historic - Broadband market share by provider – 2003 – 2014
Table 69 – Historic - FiberTel broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2016
Table 70 – Historic - Telecom Argentina - broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2010
Table 71 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 1998 – 2011
Table 72 – Historic - Nextel mobile revenue – 2012 – 2015
Table 73 – Historic - Nextel mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2015
Table 74 – Historic - Mobile operators’ market share – 1999 – 2010
Table 75 – Historic - Nextel - mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2015
Table 76 – Historic - Telecom Personal mobile subscribers, annual change – 1999 – 2010
Table 77 – Historic - Movistar - mobile subscribers – 1999 – 2010
Table 78 – Historic - Claro - mobile subscribers – 1999 – 2010
Table 79 – Historic - Change in broadband market share by technology – 2001 – 2010
Table 80 – Historic - Decline in SMS traffic – 2007 – 2010
Table 81 – Historic - Decline in the number of dial-up subscriptions – 2008 – 2010
Table 82 – Historic - Growth in international internet bandwidth – 2010 – 2017

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Latin America - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Latin America – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – South America mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Central America – mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – South America – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Central America – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of telecom revenue by segment – 2014 – 2024
Chart 11 – Development of telecom sector ARPU by segment – 2013 – 2024
Chart 12 – Telecom investment by segment – 2013 – 2019
Chart 13 – Change in annual mobile numbers ported – 2012 – 2024
Chart 14 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 15 – Change in mobile market share by operator – 2011 – 2024
Chart 16 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2024
Chart 17 – Growth in mobile market revenue and investment – 2013 – 2024
Chart 18 – Development of annualised mobile ARPU – 2013 – 2024
Chart 19 – Change in mobile voice traffic – 2013 – 2024
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of Movistar’s LTE subscribers and penetration – 2016 – 2019
Chart 21 – Increase in the number of LTE base stations in service – 2015 – 2024
Chart 22 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2011 – 2024
Chart 23 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2027
Chart 24 – Growth in the number of Claro’s mobile subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Chart 25 – Growth in Claro’s wireless revenue – 2009 – 2024
Chart 26 – Change in Telecom Personal’s mobile subscribers and annual change – 2011 – 2024
Chart 27 – Change in the number of Personal’s subscribers by type – 2013 – 2024
Chart 28 – Change in telecom Personal’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2024
Chart 29 – Development of Telecom Personal’s mobile service revenue – 2012 – 2024
Chart 30 – Change in the number of Movistar’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Chart 31 – Development of Movistar’s mobile revenue – 2014 – 2024
Chart 32 – Decline in Movistar’s blended mobile ARPU – 2008 – 2019
Chart 33 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 34 – Change in broadband market share by technology – 2011 – 2024
Chart 35 – Growth in fixed internet services revenue – 2014 – 2024
Chart 36 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by access speed – 2016 – 2024
Chart 37 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2024
Chart 38 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2024
Chart 39 – Change in the number of Movistar’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Chart 40 – Growth in the number of Telecom Argentina’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2024
Chart 41 – Change in Telecom Argentina’s broadband ARPU – 2011 – 2024
Chart 42 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2024
Chart 43 – Growth in the number of fixed wireless broadband connections – 2010 – 2024
Chart 44 – Development of Telefónica de Argentina’s financial data – 2013 – 2024
Chart 45 – Decline in the number of Telefónica de Argentina’s fixed lines in service – 2011 – 2024
Chart 46 – Development of Telecom Argentina’s financial data – 2014 – 2024
Chart 47 – Growth in Telecom Argentina’s domestic revenue by service – 2011 – 2024
Chart 48 – Change in the number of Telecom Argentina’s fixed lines – 2011 – 2024
Chart 49 – Growth in the number of Telmex’s fixed-line subscribers – 2009 – 2024
Chart 50 – Development of Telmex’s fixed-line financial data – 2017 – 2024
Chart 51 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 52 – Decline in fixed-line household teledensity – 2013 – 2024

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Latin America
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Latin America – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Latin America – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Latin America – Market Emergents and market developments

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Argentina Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Argentina’s telcos reduce investment in response to public service commitments

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Latin America Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network market

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