Croatia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 3 Aug 2021 Update History

Report Pages: 198

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Croatia’s MNOs on cusp of expanding 5G with new spectrum

Although Croatia’s telecom market is dominated by the incumbent telco Hrvatski Telekom and the local units of United Group and Telekom Austria, there is effective competition from a number of smaller operators. The regulator has helped promote competition via measures encouraging network access, as well as regional licencing. This has been seen most recently with two 5G licences having been reserved for regional rather than national operations.

The mobile market is served by three MNOs, supplemented by a number of MVNOs. The network operators have focused on improving ARPU by encouraging prepaid subscribers to migrate to postpaid plans, and on developing revenue from mobile data services. 5G services are widely available, though the sector will only show its full potential later in 2021 following the award of licences in several bands. Hitherto reserved for GSM, 3G and LTE use, this spectrum will contribute towards the government’s national broadband plan through to 2027, which is tied to the EC’s two allied projects aimed at providing gigabit connectivity by the end of 2025.

The broadband sector benefits from effective competition between the DSL and cable platforms, while there are also numerous fibre deployments in urban areas. The number of FttP subscribers broached 134,000 in March 2021.

This report provides an overview of Croatia’s fixed-line market, covering regulatory developments, infrastructure, and the financial and operating performance of the main operators. The report also covers the mobile voice and data markets, including statistics on service providers, and an assessment of network developments and deployed technologies. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed wireless broadband segment, including statistics and subscriber forecasts.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure.

Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

Regulator begins delayed multi-spectrum 5G auction;
United Group acquires majority stake in Optima Telekom from Hrvatski Telekom and Zagrebacka Banka;
Tele2 Croatia rebrands as Telemach Croatia;
A1 Croatia and Hrvatski Telekom deploy NB-IoT network;
Hrvatski Telekom expands the reach of its 5G network, reaching more than two million people in 76 cities by June 2021;
Report update includes the regulator's market data to June 2020, telcos' operating and financial data to Q2 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Hrvatski Telekom (HT), Optima Telekom, Metronet, A1 Croatia (VIPnet), Tele2 Group, United Group, Telemach Croatia

Key statistics
Regional European Market Comparison

Europe Telecom Maturity Index by tier

Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents

TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Historical overview
Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnect
Universal Service
Access
Number Portability (NP)
Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
European Electronic Communications Code

Mobile network developments

Third GSM licence and 3G licences
Fourth GSM licence
Spectrum auctions
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Roaming
Network Termination Rate (MTR)

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
IoT and M2M networks

Mobile data

SMS/ MMS

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Hrvatski Telekom
A1 Croatia
Telemach Croatia
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

M-commerce
M-banking

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Market analysis
Broadband statistics

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

VDSL
G.fast

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

Wi-Fi
WiMAX

Digital economy

Introduction
E-government
E-education
E-health

Fixed network operators

Hrvatski Telekom (HT)
A1 Croatia
Optima Telekom
Metronet

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure
Cloud computing
Wholesale
Smart Infrastructure
Data centres

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Croatia – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom services revenue by sector (HRK million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 3 – Change in telecom services revenue by sector – 2011 – 2021
Table 4 – Change in mobile and fixed-line network voice traffic (million minutes) – 2010 – 2021
Table 5 – Accumulated fixed number portings – 2011 – 2021
Table 6 – Drop in the number of CPS access lines – 2011 – 2021
Table 7 – Accumulated and annual mobile ported numbers – 2011 – 2021
Table 8 – Growth in mobile roaming traffic (million minutes) – 2009 – 2021
Table 9 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2026
Table 10 – Change in the mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2021
Table 11 – Increase in mobile network voice traffic – 2010 – 2021
Table 12 – Development of mobile market revenue – 2011 – 2021
Table 13 – Change in the number of prepaid users and proportion to total – 2011 – 2021
Table 14 – Decline in HT Group’s mobile prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Table 15 – Decline in A1 Croatia’s prepaid subscribers and proportion to total – 2009 – 2020
Table 16 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2017 – 2021
Table 17 – Increase in the number of A1 Croatia’s M2M connections – 2016 – 2020
Table 18 – Change in the number of SMS and MMS messages sent – 2011 – 2021
Table 19 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 20 – Change in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 21 – Increase in mobile broadband revenue and traffic – 2015 – 2021
Table 22 – Growth in the number of A1 Croatia’s mobile broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 23 – Increase in Hrvatski Telekom Group’s mobile revenue – 2010 – 2021
Table 24 – Decline in Hrvatski Telekom’s mobile annualised ARPU (HRK / subscriber / month) – 2010 – 2021
Table 25 – Change in Hrvatski Telekom’s mobile prepaid and contract customer base (thousand) – 2009 – 2021
Table 26 – A1 Croatia prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU (€ / month) – 2011 – 2021
Table 27 – Change in A1 Croatia’s Minutes of Use (MOU) – 2011 – 2020
Table 28 – Development of A1 Croatia’s subscriber base (million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 29 – Development of Telemach Croatia’s financial data (SEK million) – 2011 – 2019
Table 30 – Change in Telemach Croatia’s mobile revenue by segment (SEK million) – 2015 – 2019
Table 31 – Growth in Telemach Croatia’s mobile subscriber base – 2011 – 2019
Table 32 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2026
Table 33 – Growth in broadband data traffic by type (TB) – 2012 – 2021
Table 34 – Broadband data traffic growth by type – 2013 – 2021
Table 35 – Increase in broadband revenue (mobile and fixed) – 2011 – 2021
Table 36 – Increase in broadband revenue by platform (HRK billion)– 2017 – 2021
Table 37 – Growth in the number of A1 Croatia’s broadband subscriber base – 2011 – 2021
Table 38 – Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2010 – 2021
Table 39 – Change in DSL accesses by type – 2010 – 2021
Table 40 – Change in the number of Hrvatski Telekom’s retail broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Table 41 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2015 – 2021
Table 42 – Change in the number of fixed wireless broadband lines – 2017 – 2021
Table 43 – Fixed-line market share by operator – 2009 – 2021
Table 44 – Hrvatski Telekom financial data (HRK million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 45 – Change in Hrvatski Telekom’s fixed voice and mobile revenue (HRK million) – 2010 – 2021
Table 46 – Decline in the number of Hrvatski Telekom’s retail fixed lines – 2011 – 2021
Table 47 – Decline in Hrvatski Telekom’s voice ARPU – 2009 – 2021
Table 48 – Development of A1 Croatia’s financial results (€ million) – 2009 – 2021
Table 49 – Development of in A1 Croatia’s revenue – 2009 – 2021
Table 50 – Change in the number of A1 Croatia’s access lines in service – 2011 – 2021
Table 51 – Optima Telekom financial data (HRK million) – 2010 – 2021
Table 52 – Development of Optima Telekom operational data – 2010 – 2021
Table 53 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026
Table 54 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2011 – 2019
Table 55 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2000 – 2010
Table 56 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2001 – 2010
Table 57 – Historic - SMS and MMS messages sent (million) – 2003 – 2010
Table 58 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1997 – 2010
Table 59 – Historic - Prepaid users – 2002 – 2010
Table 60 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rates – 2000 – 2015
Table 61 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2003 – 2010
Table 62 – Historic - Development of telecom services revenue by sector (HRK million) – 2005 – 2010
Table 63 – Historic - Change in telecom services revenue growth by sector – 2005 – 2010
Table 64 – Historic - Accumulated fixed number portings – 2005 – 2010
Table 65 – Historic - Drop in the number of CPS access lines – 2008 – 2010
Table 66 – Historic - Change in the mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2007 – 2010
Table 67 – Historic - Development of mobile market revenue – 2005 – 2010
Table 68 – Historic - Decline in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 69 – Historic - Growth in the number of A1 Croatia’s mobile broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2010
Table 70 – Historic - Accumulated and annual mobile ported numbers – 2006 – 2010
Table 71 – Historic - A1 Croatia prepaid, postpaid and blended monthly ARPU – 2004 – 2010
Table 72 – Historic - Change in A1 Croatia’s Minutes of Use (MOU) – 2007 – 2010
Table 73 – Historic - Development of A1 Croatia’s subscriber base – 2007 – 2010
Table 74 – Historic - Development of Tele2 Croatia’s financial data (SEK million) – 2007 – 2010
Table 75 – Historic - Growth in Tele2 Croatia’s mobile subscriber base – 2007 – 2010
Table 76 – Historic - Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2003 – 2010
Table 77 – Historic - Broadband market revenue growth (mobile and fixed) – 2005 – 2010
Table 78 – Historic -Hrvatski Telekom financial data (HRK million) – 2008 – 2010
Table 79 – Historic - Decline in the number of Hrvatski Telekom retail fixed lines – 2005 – 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders (top tier)
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers (middle tier)
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents (bottom tier)
Chart 4 – Overall view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 5 – Europe - mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia and Baltics – mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe – mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Southern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Eastern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Scandinavia and Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 11 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 12 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 13 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 14 – Development of telecom services revenue by sector – 2011 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in telecom services revenue by sector – 2011 – 2021
Chart 16 – Change in mobile and fixed-line network voice traffic – 2010 – 2021
Chart 17 – Drop in the number of CPS access lines – 2011 – 2021
Chart 18 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2026
Chart 19 – Change in the mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2021
Chart 20 – Increase in mobile network voice traffic – 2010 – 2021
Chart 21 – Development of mobile market revenue – 2011 – 2021
Chart 22 – Change in the number of prepaid users and proportion to total – 2011 – 2021
Chart 23 – Decline in HT Group’s mobile prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Chart 24 – Decline in A1 Croatia’s prepaid subscribers and proportion to total – 2009 – 2020
Chart 25 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2017 – 2021
Chart 26 – Change in the number of SMS and MMS messages sent – 2011 – 2021
Chart 27 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 28 – Change in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 29 – Growth in the number of A1 Croatia’s mobile broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 30 – Increase in Hrvatski Telekom Group’s mobile revenue – 2010 – 2021
Chart 31 – Decline in Hrvatski Telekom’s mobile annualised ARPU – 2010 – 2021
Chart 32 – Change in Hrvatski Telekom’s mobile prepaid and contract customer base – 2009 – 2020
Chart 33 – A1 Croatia prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU – 2011 – 2020
Chart 34 – Change in A1 Croatia’s Minutes of Use (MOU) – 2011 – 2020
Chart 35 – Development of A1 Croatia’s subscriber base – 2011 – 2021
Chart 36 – Development of Telemach Croatia’s financial data – 2011 – 2019
Chart 37 – Change in Telemach Croatia’s mobile revenue by segment – 2015 – 2019
Chart 38 – Growth in Telemach Croatia’s mobile subscriber base – 2011 – 2019
Chart 39 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2026
Chart 40 – Growth in broadband data traffic by type – 2012 – 2021
Chart 41 – Increase in broadband revenue (mobile and fixed) – 2011 – 2021
Chart 42 – Increase in broadband revenue by platform (HRK billion)– 2017 – 2021
Chart 43 – Growth in the number of A1 Croatia’s broadband subscriber base – 2011 – 2021
Chart 44 – Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2010 – 2021
Chart 45 – Change in DSL accesses by type – 2010 – 2021
Chart 46 – Change in the number of Hrvatski Telekom’s retail DSL subscriber base – 2009 – 2021
Chart 47 – Fixed-line market share by operator – 2009 – 2021
Chart 48 – Hrvatski Telekom financial data – 2011 – 2021
Chart 49 – Change in Hrvatski Telekom’s fixed voice and mobile revenue – 2010 – 2021
Chart 50 – Decline in the number of Hrvatski Telekom’s retail fixed lines – 2011 – 2021
Chart 51 – Decline in Hrvatski Telekom’s voice ARPU – 2009 – 2021
Chart 52 – Development of A1 Croatia’s financial results – 2009 – 2021
Chart 53 – Growth in A1 Croatia’s revenue – 2009 – 2021
Chart 54 – Change in the number of A1 Croatia’s access lines in service – 2011 – 2021
Chart 55 – Optima Telekom financial data – 2010 – 2021
Chart 56 – Development of Optima Telekom operational data – 2010 – 2021
Chart 57 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026
Chart 58 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2011 – 2019

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – Access and the local loop

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Croatia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Croatia’s MNOs on cusp of expanding 5G with new spectrum

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional European Market Comparison

Country overview

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

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