Estonia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: December 2024

Report Pages: 178

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Estonia’s delayed 5G auction providing MNOs with 3.5GHz spectrum

Investment in Estonia’s telecom market has been focussed on fixed-line infrastructure upgrades, and the deployment of 5G services. Fixed broadband subscribers are gradually migrating from DSL to fibre, with the legacy copper being replaced.

The MNOs Telia, Elisa, and Tele2 have comprehensive LTE infrastructure in place, and have in recent years channelled investment to 5G. Several 5G trials have been undertaken in recent years, though commercial service launches have been restricted by the lack of available spectrum. The regulator began to address this in May 2022, following the award of a 3.5GHz concession to Elisa. A second licence award will allow sufficient spectrum to provide national coverage by 2022. Delays in holding this spectrum were partly the result of difficulties in providing services in areas bordering Russia.

Progressive government policies on broadband infrastructure and an active regulatory regime have also contributed to Estonia having one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Europe. Broadband is available via a range of fixed-line and wireless technologies, with ADSL2+, FttP, cable, Wi-Fi, and WiMAX platforms widely available. Elisa’s consolidation with the principal cableco Starman in April 2017 has enabled the operator to offer a more comprehensive suite of bundled services, and so compete more effectively with Telia.

This report provides an overview of Estonia’s telecom market, the performance of the key operators, recent regulatory developments, and the status of fixed-line networks and the NGN. It also includes a range of operating and financial data. In addition, the report reviews developments in the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband sectors, as also the mobile voice and data sectors including regulatory measures and operator strategies relating to 5G.

Key developments:

Telia Estonia launches Smart Wi-Fi service;
Elisa Estonia launches a limited 5G service using newly secured 3.5GHz spectrum;
Government amends Electronic Communications Act to make conditions on use of technologies and equipment for telecom networks;
Government commits €20 million to rural broadband program;
Report update includes operator data to Q1 2022, Statistics Estonia data to December 2020, the regulator's market data updates and annual reports, updated telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Telia Estonia, Tele2 Estonia, Elisa Telia Estonia, Elisa, Starman, STV, Viasat, Levira, Baltic Broadband

Key statistics
Regional Europe 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

Historical overview

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authorities
Fixed-line developments

Telecoms sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnect
Access
Carrier Selection and Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
Number Portability (NP)
European Electronic Communications Code

Mobile network developments

Licensing
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Mobile Termination Rate (MRT)
Roaming
Coordination with Latvia

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Mobile voice
Mobile data

Short Message Service (SMS)
Multimedia Message Service (MMS)

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Telia Estonia (Eesti Mobiltelefon, EMT)
Elisa
Tele2 Estonia
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

Location-based services
M-commerce

Fixed-line broadband market

Market analysis

Broadband statistics

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

Wi-Fi
Li-Fi
WiMAX

Digital economy

Estonian Information Society Strategy
Legislation
E-government

Infrastructure
eID card
E-Residency
EEBone

E-commerce
E-education
E-health

Fixed network operators

Overview of operators
Telia Estonia
Tele2 Estonia
Elisa

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network

Telia Estonia
Alternative operators
International networks

Smart infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Estonia – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Telecom licenses by service – 2012 – 2016
Table 3 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2012 – 2020
Table 4 – Development of ICT revenue and profit (€ million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 5 – Telecoms sector revenue (€ million) – 2012 – 2019
Table 6 – Change in the number of fixed number portings – 2012 – 2022
Table 7 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2012 – 2022
Table 8 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 9 – Active prepaid and contract subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 10 – Change in the number of Telia Estonia’s prepaid subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 11 – Growth in the number of Telia Estonia’s M2M connections – 2014 – 2022
Table 12 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2012 – 2018
Table 13 – Change in mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2022
Table 14 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2012 – 2022
Table 15 – Total SMS messages sent – 2012 – 2019
Table 16 – Total MMS messages sent – 2012 – 2022
Table 17 – Change in the number of mobile broadband subscribers by type – 2012 – 2019
Table 18 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Table 19 – Growth in the number of Telia Estonia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 20 – Development of Telia Estonia’s blended mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Table 21 – Development of Telia Estonia’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2022
Table 22 – Development of Elisa Estonia’s financial data (€ million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 23 – Change in the number of Elisa Estonia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 24 – Development of Elisa Estonia’s mobile blended ARPU – 2016 – 2022
Table 25 – Change in the number of Tele2 Estonia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 26 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2012 – 2020
Table 27 – Growth in the number of fixed-broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 28 – Change in the number of Telia Estonia’s fixed-broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 29 – Development of Telia Estonia’s fixed-broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Table 30 – Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 31 – Growth in the number of Elisa Estonia’s cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 32 – DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 33 – FttX broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 34 – Fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 35 – Fixed-line subscribers by operator (regulator data) – 2012 - 2016; 2019 - 2021
Table 36 – Development of Telia Estonia’s revenue by service (SEK million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 37 – Development of Telia Estonia’s financial data (SEK million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 38 – Change in the number of Telia Estonia’s subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2022
Table 39 – Development of Tele2 Estonia’s financial data (SEK million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 40 – Development of Tele2 Estonia’s revenue by sector (SEK million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 41 – Change in the number of Tele2 Estonia’s subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2022
Table 42 – Change in the number of Elisa Estonia’s subscribers by sector – 2016 – 2022
Table 43 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 44 – Fixed line voice subscribers – 2012 – 2016; 2019 - 2021
Table 45 –International bandwidth – 2011 – 2017
Table 46 – Historic - Telecoms sector revenue ($ million) – 2000 – 2011
Table 47 – Historic - Fixed number portings – 2005 – 2011
Table 48 – Historic - Active prepaid and contract subscribers – 1998 – 2011
Table 49 – Historic - Telia prepaid subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 50 – Historic - Total SMS messages sent – 2004 – 2011
Table 51 – Historic - Total MMS messages sent – 2005 – 2011
Table 52 – Historic - Telia subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 53 – Historic – Telia blended ARPU – 2005 – 2008
Table 54 – Historic - Telia mobile financial data – 2005 – 2011
Table 55 – Historic - Tele2 mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2011
Table 56 – Historic - Fixed-broadband lines and penetration – 2004 – 2011
Table 57 – Historic - Telia fixed-broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 58 – Historic - Telia fixed-broadband ARPU – 2006 – 2009
Table 59 – Historic - Cable broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2011
Table 60 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2003 – 2011
Table 61 – Historic - FttX broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2011
Table 62 – Historic - Telia Estonia revenue by service (SEK million) – 2005 – 2011
Table 63 – Historic - Telia Estonia subscribers by sector – 2002 – 2011
Table 64 – Historic - Tele2 financial data (SEK million) – 2007 – 2011
Table 65 – Historic - Tele2 Estonia financial data by sector (SEK million) – 2007 – 2011
Table 66 – Historic - Tele2 Estonia subscribers by sector – 2007 – 2011
Table 67 – Historic - Elisa financial data (€ million) – 2008 – 2011
Table 68 – Historic - Elisa mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2011
Table 69 – Historic - International bandwidth – 2000 – 2011
Table 70 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1998 – 2011
Table 71 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1998 – 2011
Table 72 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 – 2011
Table 73 –Historic - Decline in the number of Telia Estonia’s PSTN/ISDN subscribers – 2002 – 2016
Table 74 – Historic - Change in the share of voice calls: mobile and fixed networks – 2011 – 2016
Table 75 – Historic - Unbundled Local Loops – 2006 – 2014
Table 76 – Historic - Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2011 – 2016
Table 77 – Historic - Mobile services revenue by type (€ million) – 2011 – 2016
Table 78 – Historic - Mobile revenue (subscription, data) (€ million) – 2014 – 2016
Table 79 – Historic - Proportion of mobile broadband connections by data speed – 2013 – 2016
Table 80 – Historic - Mobile data revenue – 2011 – 2016
Table 81 – Historic - Fixed-broadband subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2016
Table 82 – Historic - Dial-up internet subscribers – 2011 – 2016
Table 84 – Historic - Development of revenue from fixed and mobile broadband services (€ million) – 2011 – 2016
Table 85 – Historic - STV broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2016
Table 86 – Historic - Fixed-lines in service by operator – 2011 – 2016
Table 87 – Historic - Fixed-line voice traffic – 2011 – 2016
Table 88 – Historic - Fixed line voice subscribers by operator – 2009 – 2016
Table 89 – Historic - Fixed line voice revenue – 2011 – 2016

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Europe – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 11 – Development of ICT revenue and profit – 2012 – 2022
Chart 12 – Telecoms sector revenue – 2012 – 2019
Chart 13 – Change in the number of fixed number portings – 2012 – 2022
Chart 14 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2012 – 2022
Chart 15 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 16 – Change in the number of Telia Estonia’s prepaid subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 17 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2012 – 2018
Chart 18 – Change in mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2022
Chart 19 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2012 – 2022
Chart 20 – Change in the number of mobile broadband subscribers by type – 2012 – 2019
Chart 21 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of Telia Estonia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 23 – Development of Telia Estonia’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2022
Chart 24 – Development of Elisa Estonia’s financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 25 – Change in the number of Elisa Estonia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 26 – Change in the number of Tele2 Estonia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 27 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2012 – 2020
Chart 28 – Growth in the number of fixed-broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 29 – Growth in the number of Elisa Estonia’s cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 30 – Development of Telia Estonia’s revenue by service – 2012 – 2022
Chart 31 – Development of Telia Estonia’s financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 32 – Change in the number of Telia Estonia’s subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2022
Chart 33 – Development of Tele2 Estonia’s financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 34 – Development of Tele2 Estonia’s revenue by sector – 2012 – 2022
Chart 35 – Change in the number of Tele2 Estonia’s subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2022
Chart 36 – Change in the number of Elisa Estonia’s subscribers by sector – 2016 – 2022
Chart 37 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Europe – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Europe – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Europe – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Access, the local loop and unbundling – an overview

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Estonia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Estonia’s delayed 5G auction providing MNOs with 3.5GHz spectrum

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Europe Market Comparison

Country overview

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