Synopsis

The Cypriot mobile market is served by four mobile network operators. Cyta has offered mobile services under the Cytamobile-Vodafone brand since 2004 following a partner agreement with Vodafone Group, while MTN Cyprus was once part of the international MTN Group before being acquired by Monaco Telecom in mid-2018. PrimeTel added market competition after launching services in 2015 soon after the company secured mobile spectrum licences (it had offered services as an MVNO since 2011). Following the award of LTE-suitable spectrum in the 800MHz and 2600MHz bands in June 2016, the cableco Cablenet, which also offered mobile services as an MVNO, launched services over its own network in mid-2017.

Operators have successfully focussed on lifting ARPU by encouraging prepaid subscribers to migrate to postpaid plans and by upgrading networks and technologies to make better use of mobile data services.

This report provides an overview of Cyprus’s mobile market, covering a range of voice and data services, regulatory developments, and technologies. It also provides a variety of key financial and operating statistics. The information contained in this report focuses predominantly on the Greek Cypriot area.

Key developments:

• Cablenet enters the LTE market on its own network;
• MTN signs vendor agreement with Huawei to develop 5G;
• Ministry of Communications completes 800MHz and 2600MHz spectrum auction;
• PrimeTel, MTN and Cyta extend LTE services;
• Report update includes the regulator's market data to June 2018, telcos' operating data to Q4 2018, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Cytamobile-Vodafone, MTN Cyprus, Kibris Telecom, PrimeTel, Cablenet.