Czech Republic Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 11 Jun 2021 Update History

Report Pages: 205

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Czech MNOs make progress in closing down 3G services

The Czech Republic’s telecom market has attracted investment from among the key regional telcos, including Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, and Vodafone, as also investors such as PPF Group. O2 Czech Republic remains the dominant telco in all segments, though there is effective competition, particularly in the mobile sector. In common with developments in other European markets, telcos in the Czech Republic have become multi-service providers, offering a full range of fixed and mobile services.

O2 CR has struggled to improve revenue growth in recent years, and in response it has transitioned itself to face market challenges. Among the changes was its reorganisation into separate business divisions and the spinning off of CETIN as a separate unit to manage the fixed and mobile networks while also operating as a national wholesale network provider. CETIN’s owner, PPF Group, in early 2021 considered an IPO for CETIN.

The mobile sector is concentrated among the three MNOs, despite the regulator having made efforts to facilitate the entry of a new market player by providing spectrum at the multi-band auction held in November 2020. The auction has enabled the licensees to expand the reach of their 5G networks. This process has also been assisted by them closing down 3G networks and refarming spectrum for 5G and LTE use.

Covering developments in the market and regulatory environment, this report provides insights into the evolving fixed-line telecom market of the Czech Republic, offering statistics, profiles of the major operators and an assessment of deployed infrastructure. The report also covers the mobile market, providing an overview of the MNOs as well as developments in technologies and regulatory affairs. A range of market and company statistics provide insights into the state of both the mobile voice and data markets, as well as the performance and strategies of the key network players. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband sectors, profiling the key players, assessing access platforms and market trends, and providing broadband subscriber forecasts.

BuddeComm notes that the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the telecoms market. 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, has offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect has been a reduced (and sometimes negative) subscriber growth, which will continue into 2021.

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

Vodafone CR enters into talks with CEZ, potentially to cooperate in offering services;
O2 CR expands 5G service;
CETIN commits to extending GPON fibre to one million premises by 2027;
Regulator completes multi-spectrum auction for 5G, raising CZK5.596 billion;
Czech MNOs progress with closing down 3G services;
Report update includes the regulator's monitoring report to December 2020, annual report and market reports for 2019, telcos' operating and financial data to Q1 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

T-Mobile Czech Republic, GTS Czech, Èeské Radiokomunikace, MobilKom, BT, ÈD-Telematika, ÈEZ ICT Services, UPC Ceska Republika, O2 Czech Republic, Vodafone Czech Republic, Nej TV, RIO Media, Nordic Telecom (MobilKom, U:fon).

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

Government support

Regulatory environment

Background
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnect
Carrier selection and carrier preselection
Number Portability (NP)
Access
European Electronic Communications Code

Mobile network developments

Significant market power (SMP) obligations
Roaming tariffs
Mobile Termination Rate (MTR)
GSM licences
3G licences
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Network sharing
Spectrum auctions
Spectrum allocations

Mobile market

Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
GSM
Analogue networks
Other infrastructure developments

Mobile voice
Mobile data

SMS and MMS

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

O2 Czech Republic
T-Mobile Czech Republic
Vodafone Czech Republic
Nordic Telecom (MobilKom/U:fon)
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

Fixed-line broadband market

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

Broadband over Powerline (BPL)
Fixed wireless broadband
Wi-Fi
Wireless local loop (WLL)
WiMAX

Fixed network operators

Overview of operators
O2 Czech Republic

Sale to PPF Group

CETIN
Ceské Radiokomunikace (CRa)
GTS Czech
CD-Telematika (CD-T)
VOLNÝ

Telecommunications infrastructure

O2 CR
Alternative operators
Wholesale
Smart infrastructure

Internet of Things (IoT)

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Czech Republic – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Change in telecom sector investment – 2009 – 2019
Table 3 – Development of telecom investment by sector (CZK billion) – 2009 – 2019
Table 4 – ICT sector revenue – 2010 – 2019
Table 5 – Development of telecom revenue – 2009 – 2019
Table 6 – Development of telecom revenue by sector (CZK billion) – 2011 – 2019
Table 7 – Decline in the number of fixed number portings – 2009 – 2020
Table 8 – Decline in the number of broadband accesses via LLU – 2009 – 2019
Table 9 – Growth in the number of mobile number portings – 2011 – 2020
Table 10 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2026
Table 11 – Decline in mobile voice revenue by type (CZK billion) – 2009 – 2019
Table 12 – Development of mobile retail and wholesale revenue (CZK billion) – 2011 – 2019
Table 13 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (million) – 2009 – 2019
Table 14 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Table 15 – Change in the share of T-Mobile CR’s prepaid subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Table 16 – Change in the share of O2 CR’ prepaid subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 17 – Change in the share of Vodafone CR’s prepaid subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 18 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2012 – 2019
Table 19 – Growth in mobile voice traffic – 2009 – 2019
Table 20 – Change in mobile voice traffic by type (billion minutes) – 2009 – 2019
Table 21 – Change in the number of SMS messages sent – 2011 – 2021
Table 22 – Increase in the number of MMS messages sent – 2011 – 2019
Table 23 – Decline in SMS and MMS revenue (CZK million) – 2009 – 2019
Table 24 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 25 – Growth in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by type – 2011 – 2019
Table 26 – Change in the number of O2 CR subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 27 – Development of O2 CR’s mobile service revenue (CZK million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 28 – Development of O2 CR’s mobile ARPU (CZK / month) – 2012 – 2019
Table 29 – Growth in the number of T-Mobile CR’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 30 – Development of T-Mobile CR’s mobile service revenue – 2009 – 2019
Table 31 – Decline in T-Mobile CR’s blended mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2019
Table 32 – Change in the number of Vodafone CR’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 33 – Change in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers by access type – 2011 – 2019
Table 34 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 35 – Fixed broadband penetration by type – 2011 – 2020
Table 36 – Growth in the number of cable broadband connections – 2009 – 2019
Table 37 – Growth in the number of Vodafone CR’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 38 – Change in the number of DSL/VDSL subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 39 – Growth in the number of T-Mobile CR’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 40 – Change in the number of O2 CR broadband subscribers (thousand) – 2011 – 2021
Table 41 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband connections – 2009 – 2019
Table 42 – Growth in the number of Wi-Fi / FWA connections – 2009 – 2019
Table 43 – Decline in fixed-line traffic (million minutes) – 2009 – 2019
Table 44 – O2 CR financial data (CZK billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 45 – O2 CR revenue by sector (CZK billion) – 2015 – 2021
Table 46 – Decline in the number of O2 CR telephony accesses by type – 2011 – 2021
Table 47 – Development of CETIN’s financial data (€ million) – 2017 – 2020
Table 48 – Decline in the number of fixed-lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026
Table 49 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 – 2010
Table 50 – Historic - Annual mobile number portings – 2006 – 2010
Table 51 – Historic - SMS messages sent – 2003 – 2010
Table 52 – Historic - Ration of prepaid to contract subscribers – 2001 – 2010
Table 53 – Historic - T-Mobile CR prepaid subscribers – 2005 – 2010
Table 54 – Historic - T-Mobile CR’s blended mobile ARPU – 2004 – 2010
Table 55 – Historic - O2 CR prepaid subscribers – 2004 – 2010
Table 56 – Historic - Vodafone CR prepaid subscribers – 2005 – 2010
Table 57 – Historic - O2 CR mobile service revenue (€ million) – 2005 – 2013
Table 58 – Historic - O2 CR ARPU (€) – 2006 – 2013
Table 59 – Historic - O2 CR financial data (€ million) – 2006 – 2013
Table 60 – Historic - UPC CR’s broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2019
Table 61 – Historic - GTS Czech financial data (€ million) – 2010 – 2015
Table 62 – Historic - GTS Czech fixed-line subscribers – 2013 – 2015
Table 63 – Historic - Fixed lines and teledensity – 1995 – 2010
Table 64 – Historic - O2 CR naked DSL lines – 2009 – 2014
Table 65 – Historic - Household use of broadband by access type – 2005 – 2013
Table 66 – Historic - Internet users, subscribers and penetration rate – 1998 – 2015
Table 67 – Historic - Market share of broadband subscribers by fixed access type – 2010 – 2015
Table 68 – Historic - Market share of broadband subscribers by wireless access type – 2010 – 2014
Table 69 – Historic - Proportion of broadband connections by data rate – 2011 – 2014
Table 70 – Historic - SMS roaming charges by operator – 2010 – 2015
Table 71 – Historic - Data roaming charges by operator – 2012 – 2015
Table 72 – Historic - O2 CR broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2010
Table 73 – Historic - Growth in average mobile broadband data use per subscriber – 2011 – 2017
Table 74 – Historic - Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2010
Table 75 – Historic - Growth in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by type – 2007 – 2010
Table 76 – Historic - Growth in the number of T-Mobile CR’s mobile subscribers – 2006 – 2010
Table 77 – Historic - Change in the number of Vodafone CR’s mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2010
Table 78 – Historic - Change in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers by access type – 2008 – 2010
Table 79 – Historic - Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2008 – 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 – Change in telecom sector investment – 2009 – 2019
Chart 15 – Development of telecom investment by sector – 2009 – 2019
Chart 16 – Change in ICT revenue – 2010 – 2019
Chart 17 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2009 – 2019
Chart 18 – Development of telecom revenue by sector – 2011 – 2019
Chart 19 – Decline in the number of fixed number portings – 2009 – 2020
Chart 20 – Decline in the number of broadband accesses via LLU – 2009 – 2019
Chart 21 – Growth in the number of mobile number portings – 2011 – 2020
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2026
Chart 23 – Decline in mobile voice revenue by type – 2009 – 2019
Chart 24 – Development of mobile retail and wholesale revenue – 2011 – 2019
Chart 25 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 26 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Chart 27 – Change in the share of T-Mobile CR’s prepaid subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Chart 28 – Change in the share of O2 CR’s prepaid subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 29 – Change in the share of Vodafone CR’ prepaid subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 30 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2012 – 2019
Chart 31 – Growth in mobile voice traffic – 2009 – 2019
Chart 32 – Change in mobile voice traffic by type – 2009 – 2019
Chart 33 – Change in the number of SMS messages sent – 2009 – 2021
Chart 34 – Increase in the number of MMS messages sent – 2011 – 2019
Chart 35 – Decline in SMS and MMS revenue – 2009 – 2019
Chart 36 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 37 – Growth in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by type – 2011 – 2019
Chart 38 – Change in the number of O2 CR mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 39 – Development of O2 CR’s mobile service revenue (CZK) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 40 – Development of O2 CR’s mobile ARPU (CZK) – 2012 – 2019
Chart 41 – Growth in the number of T-Mobile CR’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 42 – Development of T-Mobile CR’s mobile service revenue – 2009 – 2019
Chart 43 – Decline in T-Mobile CR blended ARPU – 2011 – 2019
Chart 44 – Change in the number of Vodafone CR’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 45 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers by access type – 2011 – 2019
Chart 46 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 47 – Growth in the number of cable broadband connections – 2009 – 2019
Chart 48 – Growth in the number of Vodafone CR’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 49 – Change in the number of DSL/VDSL subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 50 – Growth in the number of T-Mobile CR’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 51 – Change in the number of O2 CR broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 52 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband connections – 2009 – 2019
Chart 53 – Growth in the number of Wi-Fi / FWA connections – 2009 – 2019
Chart 54 – Decline in fixed-line traffic – 2009 – 2019
Chart 55 – Change in O2 CR financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 56 – Change in O2 CR revenue by sector – 2015 – 2021
Chart 57 – Decline in the number of O2 CR telephony accesses – 2011 – 2021
Chart 58 – Development of CETIN’s financial data (€ million) – 2017 – 2020
Chart 59 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – 2G spectrum – 1999
Exhibit 3 – Multi-spectrum auction results – 2013

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Czech Republic Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Czech MNOs make progress in closing down 3G services

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

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