Ecuador - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Ecuador’s government seeks administrator for CNT

In common with a number of other mid-sized countries in the region, Ecuador has a small telecom market dominated by the mobile sector. The evolution of the market has been influenced by the poor fixed-line infrastructure, which has stymied the development of fixed-line broadband services. To some extent poor infrastructure has been the result of topographical challenges which have rendered the cost of deploying networks to n remote and mountainous areas prohibitive. However, there has also been a legacy of underinvestment in telecoms infrastructure as a whole.

Although Ecuador has seven fixed-line operators and a large number of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the state-owned incumbent CNT leads the fixed-line market, and thus also the DSL broadband market.

The mobile sector is shared by América Móvil’s Conecel (trading as Claro), which has a 52.5% share of the market by subscribers, Telefónica’s Otecel (trading as Movistar) with about 30% of the market, and CNT (previously Telecsa/Alegro) with a share of 17.6% share. Thus far the MVNO sector has been slow to develop, partly because the incumbent operators also have their low-cost brands and thus there is little business case for new market entrants. Virgin Mobile is expected to launch a service in Ecuador, following on from similar launches in Mexico, Chile and Colombia.

The government is keen to advance universalisation and improve teledensity, and it is expected that CNT will continue its efforts to expand the country’s fixed-line infrastructure and capitalise on its DSL service, which only took off in 2009. At the same time, a national broadband plan has been implemented to expand and improve internet access for all Ecuadoreans. The fixed broadband market – including DSL, cable modem and fibre-based services – should continue to grow strongly in coming years, with an anticipated focus on fibre as networks are built out from the more densely populated urban areas. The mobile broadband market is also expected to grow strongly as network operators expand the reach of their LTE services.

A new Telecom Law has been the subject of national and international controversy, particularly for its treatment of broadcasting. The most controversial points include the redistribution of spectrum and the creation of a regulatory authority in charge of censorship.

Key developments:

Movistar extends LTE service to 19 cities, launches VoLTE;
Tribemobile Ecuador launches as an MVNO;
Telefónica Group retains its Ecuador unit while selling other Latin American businesses;
Arcotel assumes role as integrated telecom sector regulator;
CNT expands reach of 1Gb/s fibre network;
Government promotes its National Plan for Good Living for socio-economic development;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data to September 2018, telcos’ operating data to Q1 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

CNT, Etapa, TVCable (Suratel), Claro (Ecuador Telecom/Telmex), Linkotel, Etapa Telecom, Global Crossing, Grupo Coripar, Starsat, Movistar, PuntoNet, Ecuanet/Megadatos. Easynet, Trans-telco, EmpresaEléctrica Regional Centrosur, Transelectric, Telconet, TVCable, Univisa.

Table of Contents

Key statistics
Country overview
Telecommunications market

Historical overview
Market analysis
National Plan for Good Living 2013-2017

Regional Latin America Market Comparison

Telecom Maturity Index by tier

Top-tier – Market Leaders
Middle-tier – Market Challengers
Bottom-tier – Market Emergents
South America Telecom Maturity Index
Central America Telecom Maturity Index

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

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Interconnect
Anti-Monopoly Law of 2011
Telecommunications Law – 2013
Telecommunications Law – 2015

Fixed network operators

Introduction
CNT
Etapa

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network

Fixed-line statistics

International infrastructure
Wholesale
Smart infrastructure

Smart grids

Fixed broadband

Introduction and statistical overview
National Broadband Plan
Government support
Market analysis
Broadband statistics
Forecasts – fixed broadband subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Broadband Powerline (BPL)

Mobile communications

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

General statistics
Mobile voice
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Forecasts – mobile subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
Regulatory issues

Mobile licence renewals
SIM card registration
Infrastructure sharing
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Quality of Service (QoS) measures
LTE licenses – 2015

Mobile infrastructure

GSM/CDMA
3G
LTE

Major mobile operators

Claro (Conecel)
Movistar (Otecel)
CNT

Mobile Virtual Network operators (MVNOs)
Mobile content and applications

M-banking
Satellite mobile services

Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Ecuador – 2018
Table 2 – Evolution of GDP in Ecuador – 2000 – 2018
Table 3 – Historic - Fixed and mobile market share - 1997 – 2009
Table 4 – Fixed and mobile market share - 2010 - 2017
Table 5 – Revenue from telecom services – 2011 – 2018
Table 6 – Fixed lines in service – operators’ market share – 2001 – 2019
Table 7 – CNT – lines in service – 2001 – 2019
Table 8 – Etapa – lines in service – 2001 – 2019
Table 9 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1997 – 2009
Table 10 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 – 2019
Table 11 – Revenue from fixed telephony services – 2006 – 2018
Table 12 – International bandwidth – 2002 – 2016
Table 13 – Historic – Fixed internet users and penetration – 1998 – 2009
Table 14 – Fixed internet users and penetration – 2010 – 2018
Table 15 – Fixed and mobile internet subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Table 16 – Fixed and mobile internet subscriber penetration – 2010 – 2019
Table 17 – Fixed internet market share of subscribers – major operators - 2008 – 2019
Table 18 – Forecast broadband subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
Table 19 – Cable broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2017
Table 20 – DSL subscribers – 2008 – 2017
Table 21 – FttP subscribers – 2008 – 2017
Table 22 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1997 – 2009
Table 23 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2010 – 2019
Table 24 – Mobile prepaid/postpaid ratio – 2002 – 2018
Table 25 – Mobile prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2008 – 2018
Table 26 – Revenue from mobile telephony services – 2006 – 2018
Table 27 – SMS traffic – 2008 – 2017
Table 28 – Mobile broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Table 29 – Mobile broadband subscribers by operator - 2014 – 2019
Table 30 – Mobile broadband market share of subscribers by operator - 2014 – 2019
Table 31 – Forecast mobile subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
Table 32 – Base stations by operator - 2013 – 2017
Table 33 – Annual mobile numbers ported - 2009 – 2018
Table 34 – Proportion of mobile subscribers by technology – 2001 – 2018
Table 35 – Mobile subscribers by technology – 2001 – 2018
Table 36 – LTE subscribers by operator– 2014 – 2018
Table 37 – LTE Base stations by operator - 2013 – 2017
Table 38 – Historic - Mobile operators’ market share – 1997 – 2009
Table 39 – Mobile operators’ market share of subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Table 40 – Historic - Claro Ecuador mobile subscribers – 1997 – 2009
Table 41 – Claro Ecuador mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Table 42 – Claro Ecuador financial data – 2011 – 2019
Table 43 – Claro Ecuador revenue by type – 2011 – 2019
Table 44 – Historic - Movistar – mobile subscribers – 1997 – 2009
Table 45 – Movistar – mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2018
Table 46 – CNT – mobile subscribers – 2003 – 2018

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Latin America –Overall Telecoms Maturity Index
Chart 2 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders Category
Chart 3 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers Category
Chart 4 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Laggards Category
Chart 5 – South America –Telecoms Maturity Index by country
Chart 6 – Central America –Telecoms Maturity Index by country
Chart 7 – Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 8 – Latin America mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Latin America fixed broadband penetration versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2005 – 2019
Chart 11 – Internet users and user penetration rate – 2005 – 2018
Chart 12 – Fixed and mobile internet subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Chart 13 – Fixed and mobile internet subscriber penetration – 2010 – 2019
Chart 14 – Mobile market evolution at a glance – 2005 – 2019
Chart 15 – Mobile prepaid/postpaid ratio – 2002 – 2018
Chart 16 – Proportion of mobile subscribers by technology – 2012 – 2018
Chart 17 – Mobile subscribers by technology – 2001 – 2018
Chart 18 – Mobile operators’ market share – 2010 – 2018

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Ecuador
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – South America - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country
Exhibit 4 – Central America - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

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Focus Report Profile

Technologies

Broadband Fixed
Broadcasting
Companies (Major Players)
Internet
Mobile & Wireless Broadband and Media
Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure)
Regulations & Government Policies
Smart Infrastructure
Strategies & Analyses (Industry & Markets)
Telecoms Infrastructure

Number of pages 100

Status Current

Last updated 16 May 2019
Update History

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Ecuador - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Ecuador’s government seeks administrator for CNT

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regional Latin America Market Comparison

Regulatory environment

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Fixed broadband

Mobile communications

Related reports